Methods of saccharifying and fermenting a cellulosic material

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to methods of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 polypeptide, and optionally a catalase in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5 to 10% of the saturation level. The invention also related to methods of producing desired fermentation products, such as ethanol, using a method including a saccharification step of the invention.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 35 U.S.C. 371 national application of PCT/US2014/017690 filed Feb. 21, 2014, which claims priority or the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 of U.S. provisional application Nos. 61/767,488 and 61/898,707 filed Feb. 21, 2013 and Nov. 1, 2013, respectively. The contents of each application are fully incorporated herein by reference.

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING

This application contains a Sequence Listing in computer readable form, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Cellulosic material provides an attractive platform for generating alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. The conversion of cellulosic material (e.g., from lignocellulosic feedstock) into biofuels has the advantages of the ready availability of large amounts of feedstock, the desirability of avoiding burning or land filling the materials, and the cleanliness of the biofuels (such as ethanol). Wood, agricultural residues, herbaceous crops, and municipal solid wastes have been considered as feedstocks for biofuel production. Once the cellulosic material is saccharified and converted to fermentable sugars, e.g., glucose, the fermentable sugars may be fermented by yeast into biofuel, such as ethanol.

New and improved enzymes and enzyme compositions have been developed over the past decade and made saccharification of pretreated cellulosic material more efficient. However, there is still a need for improving saccharification of pretreated cellulosic material and processes for producing biofuels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Described herein are methods of saccharifying a cellulosic material into fermentable sugars. Also described are methods of producing fermentation products, such as ethanol, from a cellulosic material, such as a pretreated cellulosic material, by saccharification and fermentation.

In one aspect the invention relates to methods of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 polypeptide in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5 to 10% of the saturation level.

In another aspect the invention relates to methods of producing a fermentation product, comprising:

(a) subjecting a cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 polypeptide in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5-10% of the saturation level;

(b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms; and

(c) recovering the fermentation product from (b).

In another aspect the invention relates methods of producing a fermentation product, comprising:

(a) subjecting a cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition, a GH61 polypeptide, and a catalase in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5-10% of the saturation level;

(b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms; and

(c) recovering the fermentation product from (b).

In an embodiment the cellulosic material has been pretreated e.g., by chemical and/or physical pretreatment, such as dilute acid and/or steam explosion pretreatment. In a preferred embodiment the cellulosic material is unwashed, such as unwashed pretreated corn stover (uwPCS).

Methods of the present invention are used to saccharify/hydrolyze a pretreated cellulosic material to sugars. These sugars may be converted to many useful desired substances, e.g., fuel, potable ethanol, and/or fermentation products (e.g., acids, alcohols, ketones, gases, and the like).

The saccharified pretreated cellulosic material may be sugars that can be used in processes for producing syrups (e.g., High Fructose Corn Syrups (HFCS) and/or plastics (e.g., polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene), polylactic acid (e.g., for producing PET).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows the effect of dissolved oxygen (DO) on glucose yield (g/L) after 5 days saccharification using a cellulolytic enzyme composition with and without Thermoascus auranticus GH61A polypeptide (GH61 Polypeptide A).

FIG. 2 shows the effect of dissolved oxygen (DO) on glucose yield (g/L) after 5 days saccharification using a cellulolytic enzyme composition with Penicillium emersonii GH61polypeptide (GH61 Polypeptide B).

DEFINITIONS

Alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase: The term “alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase” means an alpha-L-arabinofuranoside arabinofuranohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.55) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of terminal non-reducing alpha-L-arabinofuranoside residues in alpha-L-arabinosides. The enzyme acts on alpha-L-arabinofuranosides, alpha-L-arabinans containing (1,3)- and/or (1,5)-linkages, arabinoxylans, and arabinogalactans. Alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase is also known as arabinosidase, alpha-arabinosidase, alpha-L-arabinosidase, alpha-arabinofuranosidase, polysaccharide alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase, alpha-L-arabinofuranoside hydrolase, L-arabinosidase, or alpha-L-arabinanase. For purposes of the present invention, alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase activity is determined using 5 mg of medium viscosity wheat arabinoxylan (Megazyme International Ireland, Ltd., Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland) per ml of 100 mM sodium acetate pH 5 in a total volume of 200 microliters for 30 minutes at 40° C. followed by arabinose analysis by AMINEX® HPX-87H column chromatography (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA).

Alpha-glucuronidase: The term “alpha-glucuronidase” means an alpha-D-glucosiduronate glucuronohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.139) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of an alpha-D-glucuronoside to D-glucuronate and an alcohol. For purposes of the present invention, alpha-glucuronidase activity is determined according to de Vries, 1998, J. Bacteriol. 180: 243-249. One unit of alpha-glucuronidase equals the amount of enzyme capable of releasing 1 micromole of glucuronic or 4-O-methylglucuronic acid per minute at pH 5, 40° C.

Beta-glucosidase: The term “beta-glucosidase” means a beta-D-glucoside glucohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.21), which catalyzes the hydrolysis of terminal non-reducing beta-D-glucose residues with the release of beta-D-glucose. For purposes of the present invention, beta-glucosidase activity is determined according to the basic procedure described by Venturi et al., 2002, Extracellular beta-D-glucosidase from Chaetomium thermophilum var. coprophilum: production, purification and some biochemical properties, J. Basic Microbiol. 42: 55-66. One unit of beta-glucosidase is defined as 1.0 micromole of p-nitrophenolate anion produced per minute at 25° C., pH 4.8 from 1 mM p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside as substrate in 50 mM sodium citrate containing 0.01% TWEEN® 20.

Beta-xylosidase: The term “beta-xylosidase” means a beta-D-xyloside xylohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.37) that catalyzes the exo-hydrolysis of short beta (1→4)-xylooligosaccharides, to remove successive D-xylose residues from the non-reducing termini. Beta-xylosidase activity can be determined using 1 mM p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside as substrate in 100 mM sodium citrate containing 0.01% TWEEN® 20 at pH 5, 40° C. For purposes of the present invention, one unit of beta-xylosidase is defined as 1.0 micromole of p-nitrophenolate anion produced per minute at 40° C., pH 5 from 1 mM p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside as substrate in 100 mM sodium citrate containing 0.01% TWEEN® 20.

Biomass material: The term “biomass material” refers to any sugar-containing biomass (e.g., stems, leaves, hulls, husks, and cobs of plants or leaves, branches, and wood of trees) and any component thereof, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, or lignan. It is understood that, unless otherwise specified, biomass material includes untreated, pretreated, and hydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed forms (e.g., biomass degraded products, such as oligosaccharides).

Catalase: The term “catalase” means a hydrogen-peroxide: hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase (E.C. 1.11.1.6 or E.C. 1.11.1.21) that catalyzes the conversion of two hydrogen peroxides to oxygen and two waters. Catalase activity can be determined by monitoring the degradation of hydrogen peroxide at 240 nm based on the following reaction: 2H₂O₂→2H₂O+O₂

The reaction is conducted in 50 mM phosphate pH 7 at 25° C. with 10.3 mM substrate (H₂O₂) and approximately 100 units of enzyme per ml. Absorbance is monitored spectrophotometrically within 16-24 seconds, which should correspond to an absorbance reduction from 0.45 to 0.4. One catalase activity unit can be expressed as one micromole of H₂O₂ degraded per minute at pH 7.0 and 25° C.

cDNA: The term “cDNA” means a DNA molecule that can be prepared by reverse transcription from a mature, spliced, mRNA molecule obtained from a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell. cDNA lacks intron sequences that may be present in the corresponding genomic DNA. The initial, primary RNA transcript is a precursor to mRNA that is processed through a series of steps, including splicing, before appearing as mature spliced mRNA.

Cellobiohydrolase: The term “cellobiohydrolase” means a 1,4-beta-D-glucan cellobiohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.91) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-glucosidic linkages in cellulose, cellooligosaccharides, or any beta-1,4-linked glucose containing polymer, releasing cellobiose from the reducing or non-reducing ends of the chain (Teeri, 1997, Crystalline cellulose degradation: New insight into the function of cellobiohydrolases, Trends in Biotechnology 15: 160-167; Teen et al., 1998, Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolases: why so efficient on crystalline cellulose?, Biochem. Soc. Trans. 26: 173-178). Cellobiohydrolase activity is determined according to the procedures described by Lever et al., 1972, Anal. Biochem. 47: 273-279; van Tilbeurgh et al., 1982, FEBS Letters, 149: 152-156; van Tilbeurgh and Claeyssens, 1985, FEBS Letters, 187: 283-288; and Tomme et al., 1988, Eur. J. Biochem. 170: 575-581. In the present invention, the Tomme et al. method can be used to determine cellobiohydrolase activity.

Cellulolytic enzyme composition: The term “cellulolytic enzyme composition” means one or more (e.g., several) enzymes that hydrolyze a cellulosic material. Such enzymes include endoglucanase(s), cellobiohydrolase(s), beta-glucosidase(s), or combinations thereof. The two basic approaches for measuring cellulolytic activity include: (1) measuring the total cellulolytic activity, and (2) measuring the individual cellulolytic activities (endoglucanases, cellobiohydrolases, and beta-glucosidases) as reviewed in Zhang et al., 2006, Outlook for cellulase improvement: Screening and selection strategies, Biotechnology Advances 24: 452-481. Total cellulolytic activity is usually measured using insoluble substrates, including Whatman No 1 filter paper, microcrystalline cellulose, bacterial cellulose, algal cellulose, cotton, pretreated lignocellulose, etc. The most common total cellulolytic activity assay is the filter paper assay using Whatman No 1 filter paper as the substrate. The assay was established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) (Ghose, 1987, Measurement of cellulase activities, Pure Appl. Chem. 59: 257-68).

For purposes of the present invention, cellulolytic enzyme activity is determined by measuring the increase in hydrolysis/saccharification of a cellulosic material by cellulolytic enzyme(s) under the following conditions: 1-50 mg of cellulolytic enzyme protein/g of cellulose in PCS (or other pretreated cellulosic material) for 3-7 days at a suitable temperature, e.g., 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., or 65° C., compared to a control hydrolysis without addition of cellulolytic enzyme protein. Typical conditions are 1 ml reactions, washed or unwashed PCS, 5% insoluble solids, 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5, 1 mM MnSO₄, 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., or 65° C., 72 hours, sugar analysis by AMINEX® HPX-87H column (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif., USA).

Cellulosic material: The term “cellulosic material” refers to any biomass material containing cellulose (a chemically homogeneous oligosaccharide or polysaccharide of beta-(1-4)-D-glucan (polymer containing beta (1-4) linked D-glucose units)). Although generally polymorphous, cellulose can be found in plant tissue primarily as an insoluble crystalline matrix of parallel glucan chains. Cellulose is generally found, for example, in the stems, leaves, hulls, husks, and cobs of plants or leaves, branches, and wood of trees. The cellulosic material can be, but is not limited to, herbaceous material, agricultural residue, forestry residue, municipal solid waste, waste paper, and pulp and paper mill residue (see, for example, Wiselogel et al., 1995, in Handbook on Bioethanol (Charles E. Wyman, editor), pp. 105-118, Taylor & Francis, Washington D.C.; Wyman, 1994, Bioresource Technology 50: 3-16; Lynd, 1990, Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 24/25: 695-719; Mosier et al., 1999, Recent Progress in Bioconversion of Lignocellulosics, in Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, T. Scheper, managing editor, Volume 65, pp. 23-40, Springer-Verlag, New York). Cellulosic material includes any form of cellulose, such as polysaccharides degraded or hydrolyzed to oligosaccharides. It is understood herein that the cellulose may be in the form of a component of lignocellulose, a plant cell wall material containing lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose in a mixed matrix.

In one aspect, the cellulosic material is herbaceous material (including energy crops). In another aspect, the cellulosic material is agricultural residue. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is wood (including forestry residue). In another aspect, the cellulosic material is municipal solid waste. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is waste paper. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is pulp and paper mill residue.

In another aspect, the cellulosic material is corn stover. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is wheat straw. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is bagasse. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is corn cob. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is switchgrass. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is corn fiber. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is rice straw. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is miscanthus. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is arundo. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is bamboo. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is orange peel. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is poplar. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is pine. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is aspen. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is fir. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is spuce. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is willow. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is eucalyptus.

In another aspect, the cellulosic material is microcrystalline cellulose. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is bacterial cellulose. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is algal cellulose. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is cotton linter. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is amorphous phosphoric-acid treated cellulose. In another aspect, the cellulosic material is filter paper.

In another aspect, the cellulosic material is an aquatic biomass. As used herein the term “aquatic biomass” means biomass produced in an aquatic environment by a photosynthesis process. The aquatic biomass can be algae; submerged plants; emergent plants; and floating-leaf plants.

The cellulosic material may be used as is or may be subjected to pretreatment (pretreated cellulosic material), using conventional methods known in the art, as described herein.

Coding sequence: The term “coding sequence” means a polynucleotide, which directly specifies the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide. The boundaries of the coding sequence are generally determined by an open reading frame, which usually begins with the ATG start codon or alternative start codons such as GTG and TTG and ends with a stop codon such as TAA, TAG, and TGA. The coding sequence may be a DNA, cDNA, synthetic, or recombinant polynucleotide.

Dissolved Oxygen Saturation Level: The saturation level of oxygen is determined at the standard partial pressure (0.21 atmosphere) of oxygen. The saturation level at the standard partial pressure of oxygen is dependent on the temperature and solute concentrations. In an embodiment where the temperature during hydrolysis is 50° C., the saturation level would typically be in the range of 5-5.5 mg oxygen per kg slurry, depending on the solute concentrations. Hence, dissolved oxygen is present in a range from 0.025 ppm to 0.55 ppm, such as, e.g., 0.05 to 0.165 ppm at temperatures around 50° C.

Endoglucanase: The term “endoglucanase” means an endo-1,4-(1,3;1,4)-beta-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.4), which catalyzes endohydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-glycosidic linkages in cellulose, cellulose derivatives (such as carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose), lichenin, beta-1,4 bonds in mixed beta-1,3 glucans such as cereal beta-D-glucans or xyloglucans, and other plant material containing cellulosic components. Endoglucanase activity can be determined by measuring reduction in substrate viscosity or increase in reducing ends determined by a reducing sugar assay (Zhang et al., 2006, Biotechnology Advances 24: 452-481). For purposes of the present invention, endoglucanase activity is determined using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as substrate according to the procedure of Ghose, 1987, Pure and Appl. Chem. 59: 257-268, at pH 5, 40° C.

Family 61 glycoside hydrolase: The term “Family 61 glycoside hydrolase” or “Family GH61” or “GH61 polypeptide” means a polypeptide falling into the glycoside hydrolase Family 61 according to Henrissat, 1991, A classification of glycosyl hydrolases based on amino-acid sequence similarities, Biochem. J. 280: 309-316, and Henrissat and Bairoch, 1996, Updating the sequence-based classification of glycosyl hydrolases, Biochem. J. 316: 695-696. The enzymes in this family were originally classified as a glycoside hydrolase family based on measurement of very weak endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase activity in one family member. GH61 polypeptides are now classified as lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (Quinlan et al., 2011, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 208: 15079-15084; Phillips et al., 2011, ACS Chem. Biol. 6: 1399-1406; Lin et al., 2012, Structure 20: 1051-1061) and placed into a new family designated “Auxiliary Activity 9” or “AA9”.

GH61 polypeptides enhance hydrolysis/saccharification of a cellulosic material by an enzyme having cellulolytic activity. For purposes of the present invention, cellulolytic enhancing activity is determined by measuring the increase in reducing sugars or the increase of the total of cellobiose and glucose from the hydrolysis of a cellulosic material by cellulolytic enzyme under the following conditions: 1-50 mg of total protein/g of cellulose in PCS, wherein total protein is comprised of 50-99.5% w/w cellulolytic enzyme protein and 0.5-50% w/w protein of a GH61 polypeptide for 1-7 days at a suitable temperature, e.g., 50° C., 55° C., or 60° C., compared to a control hydrolysis with equal total protein loading without cellulolytic enhancing activity (1-50 mg of cellulolytic protein/g of cellulose in PCS). In a preferred aspect, a mixture of CELLUCLAST® 1.5L (Novozymes A/S, Bagsvrd, Denmark) in the presence of 2-3% of total protein weight Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase (recombinantly produced in Aspergillus oryzae according to WO 02/095014) or 2-3% of total protein weight Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (recombinantly produced in Aspergillus oryzae as described in WO 02/095014) of cellulase protein loading is used as the source of the cellulolytic activity.

GH61 polypeptides enhance the hydrolysis/saccharification of a cellulosic material catalyzed by enzyme having cellulolytic activity by reducing the amount of cellulolytic enzyme required to reach the same degree of hydrolysis preferably at least 1.01-fold, more preferably at least 1.05-fold, more preferably at least 1.10-fold, more preferably at least 1.25-fold, more preferably at least 1.5-fold, more preferably at least 2-fold, more preferably at least 3-fold, more preferably at least 4-fold, more preferably at least 5-fold, even more preferably at least 10-fold, and most preferably at least 20-fold.

Feruloyl esterase: The term “feruloyl esterase” means a 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamoyl-sugar hydrolase (EC 3.1.1.73) that catalyzes the hydrolysis of the 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamoyl (feruloyl) group from an esterified sugar, which is usually arabinose in “natural” substrates, to produce ferulate (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamate). Feruloyl esterase is also known as ferulic acid esterase, hydroxycinnamoyl esterase, FAE-III, cinnamoyl ester hydrolase, FAEA, cinnAE, FAE-I, or FAE-II. For purposes of the present invention, feruloyl esterase activity is determined using 0.5 mM p-nitrophenylferulate as substrate in 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5.0. One unit of feruloyl esterase equals the amount of enzyme capable of releasing 1 micromole of p-nitrophenolate anion per minute at pH 5, 25° C.

Hemicellulose: As used herein, the term “hemicellulose” refers to an oligosaccharide or polysaccharide of biomass material other than cellulose. Hemicellulose is chemically heterogeneous and includes a variety of polymerized sugars, primarily D-pentose sugars, such as xylans, xyloglucans, arabinoxylans, and mannans, in complex heterogeneous branched and linear polysaccharides or oligosaccharides that are bound via hydrogen bonds to the cellulose microfibrils in the plant cell wall, and wherein xylose sugars are usually in the largest amount. Hemicelluloses may be covalently attached to lignin, and usually hydrogen bonded to cellulose, as well as to other hemicelluloses, which help stabilize the cell wall matrix forming a highly complex structure. Hemicellulosic material includes any form of hemicellulose, such as polysaccharides degraded or hydrolyzed to oligosaccharides. It is understood herein that the hemicellulose may be in the form of a component of lignocellulose, a plant cell wall material containing lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose in a mixed matrix.

Hemicellulolytic enzyme or hemicellulase: The term “hemicellulolytic enzyme” or “hemicellulase” means one or more (several) enzymes that hydrolyze a hemicellulosic material. See, for example, Shallom and Shoham, 2003, Microbial hemicellulases, Current Opinion In Microbiology 6(3): 219-228). Hemicellulases are key components in the degradation of plant biomass. Examples of hemicellulases include, but are not limited to, an acetylmannan esterase, an acetyxylan esterase, an arabinanase, an arabinofuranosidase, a coumaric acid esterase, a feruloyl esterase, a galactosidase, a glucuronidase, a glucuronoyl esterase, a mannanase, a mannosidase, a xylanase, and a xylosidase. The catalytic modules of hemicellulases are either glycoside hydrolases (GHs) that hydrolyze glycosidic bonds, or carbohydrate esterases (CEs), which hydrolyze ester linkages of acetate or ferulic acid side groups. These catalytic modules, based on homology of their primary sequence, can be assigned into GH and CE families marked by numbers. Some families, with overall similar fold, can be further grouped into clans, marked alphabetically (e.g., GH-A). A most informative and updated classification of these and other carbohydrate active enzymes is available on the Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZy) database. Hemicellulolytic enzyme activities can be measured according to Ghose and Bisaria, 1987, Pure & Appl. Chem. 59: 1739-1752.

Host cell: The term “host cell” means any cell type that is susceptible to transformation, transfection, transduction, or the like with a nucleic acid construct or expression vector comprising a polynucleotide. The term “host cell” encompasses any progeny of a parent cell that is not identical to the parent cell due to mutations that occur during replication.

Isolated: The term “isolated” means a substance in a form or environment that does not occur in nature. Non-limiting examples of isolated substances include (1) any non-naturally occurring substance, (2) any substance including, but not limited to, any enzyme, variant, nucleic acid, protein, peptide or cofactor, that is at least partially removed from one or more or all of the naturally occurring constituents with which it is associated in nature; (3) any substance modified by the hand of man relative to that substance found in nature; or (4) any substance modified by increasing the amount of the substance relative to other components with which it is naturally associated (e.g., multiple copies of a gene encoding the substance, or use of a stronger promoter than the promoter naturally associated with the gene encoding the substance). An isolated substance may be present in a fermentation broth.

Mature polypeptide: The term “mature polypeptide” means a polypeptide in its final form following translation and any post-translational modifications, such as N-terminal processing, C-terminal truncation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, etc. It is known in the art that a host cell may produce a mixture of two of more different mature polypeptides (i.e., with a different C-terminal and/or N-terminal amino acid) expressed by the same polynucleotide. The mature polypeptide can be predicted using the SignalP program (Nielsen et al., 1997, Protein Engineering 10: 1-6).

Mature polypeptide coding sequence: The term “mature polypeptide coding sequence” is defined herein as a nucleotide sequence that encodes a mature polypeptide having biological activity. The mature polypeptide coding sequence can be predicted using the SignalP program (Nielsen et al., 1997, supra).

Nucleic acid construct: The term “nucleic acid construct” means a nucleic acid molecule, either single- or double-stranded, which is isolated from a naturally occurring gene or is modified to contain segments of nucleic acids in a manner that would not otherwise exist in nature or which is synthetic, which comprises one or more control sequences.

Polypeptide fragment: The term “fragment” means a polypeptide having one or more (e.g., several) amino acids deleted from the amino and/or carboxyl terminus of a mature polypeptide. In one aspect, a fragment contains at least 85% of the amino acid residues, e.g., at least 90% of the amino acid residues or at least 95% of the amino acid residues of the referenced mature polypeptide.

Stringency conditions: For long probes of at least 100 nucleotides in length, very low to very high stringency conditions are defined as prehybridization and hybridization at 42° C. in 5×SSPE, 0.3% SDS, 200 micrograms/ml sheared and denatured salmon sperm DNA, and either 25% formamide for very low and low stringencies, 35% formamide for medium and medium-high stringencies, or 50% formamide for high and very high stringencies, following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours optimally. The carrier material is finally washed three times each for 15 minutes using 2×SSC, 0.2% SDS at 45° C. (very low stringency), at 50° C. (low stringency), at 55° C. (medium stringency), at 60° C. (medium-high stringency), at 65° C. (high stringency), and at 70° C. (very high stringency).

For short probes of about 15 nucleotides to about 70 nucleotides in length, stringency conditions are defined as prehybridization and hybridization at about 5° C. to about 10° C. below the calculated Tm using the calculation according to Bolton and McCarthy (1962, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 48: 1390) in 0.9 M NaCl, 0.09 M Tris HCl pH 7.6, 6 mM EDTA, 0.5% NP 40, 1×Denhardt's solution, 1 mM sodium pyrophosphate, 1 mM sodium monobasic phosphate, 0.1 mM ATP, and 0.2 mg of yeast RNA per ml following standard Southern blotting procedures for 12 to 24 hours optimally. The carrier material is finally washed once in 6×SCC plus 0.1% SDS for 15 minutes and twice each for 15 minutes using 6×SSC at 5° C. to 10° C. below the calculated Tm.

Parent Enzyme: The term “parent” means an enzyme to which an alteration is made to produce a variant. The parent may be a naturally occurring (wild-type) polypeptide or a variant thereof.

Pretreated corn stover: The term “PCS” or “Pretreated Corn Stover” means a cellulosic material derived from corn stover by pretreatment (e.g., by heat and dilute sulfuric acid, alkaline pretreatment, or neutral pretreatment).

Sequence identity: The relatedness between two amino acid sequences or between two nucleotide sequences is described by the parameter “sequence identity”.

For purposes of the present invention, the sequence identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, J. Mol. Biol. 48: 443-453) as implemented in the Needle program of the EMBOSS package (EMBOSS: The European Molecular Biology Open Software Suite, Rice et al., 2000, Trends Genet. 16: 276-277), preferably version 5.0.0 or later. The parameters used are gap open penalty of 10, gap extension penalty of 0.5, and the EBLOSUM62 (EMBOSS version of BLOSUM62) substitution matrix. The output of Needle labeled “longest identity” (obtained using the—nobrief option) is used as the percent identity and is calculated as follows: (Identical Residues×100)/(Length of Alignment−Total Number of Gaps in Alignment)

For purposes of the present invention, the sequence identity between two deoxyribonucleotide sequences is determined using the Needleman-Wunsch algorithm (Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, supra) as implemented in the Needle program of the EMBOSS package (EMBOSS: The European Molecular Biology Open Software Suite, Rice et al., 2000, supra), preferably version 5.0.0 or later. The parameters used are gap open penalty of 10, gap extension penalty of 0.5, and the EDNAFULL (EMBOSS version of NCBI NUC4.4) substitution matrix. The output of Needle labeled “longest identity” (obtained using the -nobrief option) is used as the percent identity and is calculated as follows: (Identical Deoxyribonucleotides×100)/(Length of Alignment−Total Number of Gaps in Alignment)

Subsequence: The term “subsequence” means a polynucleotide having one or more (several) nucleotides deleted from the 5′ and/or 3′ end of a mature polypeptide coding sequence; wherein the subsequence encodes a fragment having biological activity.

Variant: The term “variant” means a chitin binding protein comprising an alteration, i.e., a substitution, insertion, and/or deletion of one or more (e.g., several) amino acid residues at one or more positions. A substitution means a replacement of the amino acid occupying a position with a different amino acid; a deletion means removal of the amino acid occupying a position; and an insertion means adding an amino acid adjacent to the amino acid occupying a position.

Xylan degrading activity or xylanolytic activity: The term “xylan degrading activity” or “xylanolytic activity” means a biological activity that hydrolyzes xylan-containing material. The two basic approaches for measuring xylanolytic activity include: (1) measuring the total xylanolytic activity, and (2) measuring the individual xylanolytic activities (e.g., endoxylanases, beta-xylosidases, arabinofuranosidases, alpha-glucuronidases, acetylxylan esterases, feruloyl esterases, and alpha-glucuronyl esterases). Recent progress in assays of xylanolytic enzymes was summarized in several publications including Biely and Puchard, Recent progress in the assays of xylanolytic enzymes, 2006, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 86(11): 1636-1647; Spanikova and Biely, 2006, Glucuronoyl esterase—Novel carbohydrate esterase produced by Schizophyllum commune, FEBS Letters 580(19): 4597-4601; Herrmann et al., 1997, The beta-D-xylosidase of Trichoderma reesei is a multifunctional beta-D-xylan xylohydrolase, Biochemical Journal 321: 375-381.

Total xylan degrading activity can be measured by determining the reducing sugars formed from various types of xylan, including, for example, oat spelt, beechwood, and larchwood xylans, or by photometric determination of dyed xylan fragments released from various covalently dyed xylans. The most common total xylanolytic activity assay is based on production of reducing sugars from polymeric 4-O-methyl glucuronoxylan as described in Bailey et al., 1992, Interlaboratory testing of methods for assay of xylanase activity, Journal of Biotechnology 23(3): 257-270. Xylanase activity can also be determined with 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 0.01% TRITON® X-100 and 200 mM sodium phosphate buffer pH 6 at 37° C. One unit of xylanase activity is defined as 1.0 micromole of azurine produced per minute at 37° C., pH 6 from 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 200 mM sodium phosphate pH 6 buffer.

For purposes of the present invention, xylan degrading activity is determined by measuring the increase in hydrolysis of birchwood xylan (Sigma Chemical Co., Inc., St. Louis, Mo., USA) by xylan-degrading enzyme(s) under the following typical conditions: 1 ml reactions, 5 mg/ml substrate (total solids), 5 mg of xylanolytic protein/g of substrate, 50 mM sodium acetate pH 5, 50° C., 24 hours, sugar analysis using p-hydroxybenzoic acid hydrazide (PHBAH) assay as described by Lever, 1972, A new reaction for colorimetric determination of carbohydrates, Anal. Biochem. 47: 273-279.

Xylanase: The term “xylanase” means a 1,4-beta-D-xylan-xylohydrolase (E.C. 3.2.1.8) that catalyzes the endohydrolysis of 1,4-beta-D-xylosidic linkages in xylans. For purposes of the present invention, xylanase activity is determined with 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 0.01% TRITON® X-100 and 200 mM sodium phosphate buffer pH 6 at 37° C. One unit of xylanase activity is defined as 1.0 micromole of azurine produced per minute at 37° C., pH 6 from 0.2% AZCL-arabinoxylan as substrate in 200 mM sodium phosphate pH 6 buffer.

Reference to “about” a value or parameter herein includes aspects that are directed to that value or parameter per se. For example, description referring to “about X” includes the aspect “X”.

As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “or,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is understood that the aspects of the invention described herein include “consisting” and/or “consisting essentially of” aspects.

Unless defined otherwise or clearly indicated by context, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to, inter alia, methods of saccharifying a cellulosic material into sugars, such as fermentable sugars, and converting these sugars into desired products.

The fermentable sugars may be converted to many useful desired substances, e.g., fuel, potable ethanol, and/or fermentation products (e.g., acids, alcohols, ketones, gases, and the like).

The saccharified pretreated cellulosic material may also be sugars that can be used in processes for producing syrups (e.g., High Fructose Corn Syrups (HFCS) and/or plastics (e.g., polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene), polylactic acid (e.g., for producing PET).

The inventors have surprisingly found that the presence of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the range of 0.5-10% of the saturation level during enzymatic saccharification gives a strong increase in glucose yield, when using a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 polypeptide. The inventors found that for cellulolytic enzyme compositions without a GH61 polypeptide, dissolved oxygen (DO) has little or no effect on the fermentable sugar yield (see Example 1). However, for cellulolytic enzyme compositions with a GH61 polypeptide, the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration has a strong effect on the final yield of fermentable sugars, with an optimum DO concentration in the range of around 1-2% of the saturation level (See Examples 1 and 2).

Methods of Saccharifying Cellulosic Materials

In one aspect the invention relates to methods of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 polypeptide in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5 to 10% of the dissolved oxygen saturation level.

In another aspect the invention relates to methods of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition, a GH61 polypeptide and a catalase in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5 to 10% of the saturation level.

In the saccharification step, also known as hydrolysis, the cellulosic material, e.g., pretreated cellulosic material, is treated to break down cellulose and/or hemicellulose to fermentable sugars, such as arabinose, cellobiose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose, xylulose, and/or soluble oligosaccharides. The saccharification is performed enzymatically by a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 polypeptide. The enzymes of the compositions can be added simultaneously or sequentially. For instance the GH61 polypeptide may be comprised in the cellulolytic enzyme composition.

Enzymatic saccharification is preferably carried out in a suitable aqueous environment under conditions that can be readily determined by one skilled in the art and in the presence of dissolved oxygen as defined herein. In one aspect, saccharification is performed under conditions suitable for the activity of the enzyme(s), i.e., optimal for the enzyme(s). The saccharification may be carried out as a fed batch or continuous process where the, e.g., pretreated, cellulosic material (substrate) is fed gradually to, for example, an enzyme containing saccharification solution.

According to the invention saccharification may advantageously be performed in stirred-tank reactors, vessels, tanks or fermentors under controlled pH, temperature, and oxygen, and mixing conditions. In an embodiment, the reactor, vessel, tank or fermentor comprises more than 10 m³, such as more than 25 m³, such as more than 50 m³ cellulosic material.

Saccharification may occur for up to 200 hours, e.g., about 12 to about 96 hours, about 16 to about 72 hours, or about 24 to about 48 hours, such as for at least 12 hours, e.g., at least 24 hours, at least 36 hours, at least 48 hours, at least 60 hours, or at least 72 hours.

In an embodiment saccharification is performed at a temperature in the range of about 25° C. to about 75° C., e.g., about 30° C. to about 70° C., about 35° C. to about 65° C., about 40° C. to 60° C., about 45° C. to 55° C., or about 50° C.

In an embodiment saccharification is performed at a pH in the range of about 3.0 to aout 7.0, e.g., 3.5 to 6.5, 4.0 to 6.0, 4.5 to 5.5 or about 5.0. In an embodiment, the process of the present invention further comprises adding a base to the tank to maintain the pH in the range of about 3.0 to about 7.0, e.g., 3.5 to 6.5, 4.0 to 6.0, 4.5 to 5.5 or about 5.0. Any base may be used, including but not limited to KOH, NaOH, Ca(OH)₂, and NH₄OH or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the base is added in an amount of 25-2,500 mmol base per kg dry cellulosic material, such as 25-1000 mmol/kg, 25-500 mmol/kg, 25-250 mmol/kg, 50-200 mmol/kg. The inventors have determined that less base is required to maintain the pH during saccharification of a cellulosic material with a cellulolytic composition and a GH61 polypeptide in the presence of a catalase compared to the same process with the cellulolytic composition and the GH61 polypeptide but in the absence of a catalase. Thus, the processes of the present invention involving a catalase are less costly and produce less waste in the form of salt. In addition, the processes of the present invention make it easier to recycle spent biomass to the fields, due to the lower content of salts originating from the added base. In an embodiment, the amount of base added during saccharification is reduced by at least 1%, e.g., at least 2.5%, at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, or at least 50%.

The dry solids content during saccharification (e.g., total solids in the cellulosic material) is typically less than about 30 wt. %, 25 wt. %, 20 wt. %, 15 wt. %, 10 wt. %, 7.5 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 2.5 wt. %, 2 wt. %, 1 wt. %, or 0.5 wt. %, such as between 5 and 30 wt. %, such as between 10 and 25 wt. %.

In an embodiment of the invention the dissolved oxygen concentration during saccharification is in the range of about 0.5-10% of the saturation level, such as 0.5-5%, such as 0.5-4%, such as 0.5-3%, such as 0.5-2%, such as 1-5%, such as 1-4%, such as 1-3%, such as 1-2%. In a preferred embodiment the dissolved oxygen concentration is maintained in the range of about 0.5-10% of the saturation level, such as 0.5-5%, such as 0.5-4%, such as 0.5-3%, such as 0.5-2%, such as 1-5%, such as 1-4%, such as 1-3%, such as 1-2% during at least 25%, such as at least 50%, such as at least 75% of the saccharification period.

Oxygen is added to the vessel in order to achieve the desired concentration of dissolved oxygen during saccharification. Maintaining the dissolved oxygen level within a desired range can be accomplished by aeration of the vessel, tank or the like by adding compressed air through a diffuser or sparger, or by other known methods of aeration. The aeration rate can be controlled on the basis of feedback from a dissolved oxygen sensor placed in the vessel/tank, or the system can run at a constant rate without feedback control. In the case of a hydrolysis train consisting of a plurality of vessels/tanks connected in series, aeration can be implemented in one or more or all of the vessels/tanks. Oxygen aeration systems are well known in the art. According to the invention any suitable aeration system may be used. Commercial aeration systems are designed by, e.g., Chemineer, Derby, England, and build by, e.g., Paul Mueller Company, MO, USA.

Methods of Producing Fermentation Products from Cellulosic Materials

In another aspect the invention relates to methods of producing fermentation products from cellulosic material, comprising:

(a) subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 polypeptide in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5-10% of the saturation level;

(b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms; and

(c) optionally recovering the fermentation product from (b).

In another aspect the invention relates methods of producing fermentation products from cellulosic material, comprising:

(a) subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition, a GH61 polypeptide, and a catalase in the presence of dissolved oxygen at a concentration in the range of 0.5-10% of the saturation level;

(b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms; and

(c) optionally recovering the fermentation product from (b).

During fermentation, the sugars produced in the saccharification process are converted into a desired product. Fermentable sugars may be converted to many useful desired substances, e.g., fuel, potable ethanol, and/or fermentation products (e.g., acids, alcohols, ketones, gases, and the like). Other sugars may be used in processes for producing syrups (e.g., High Fructose Corn Syrups (HFCS) and/or plastics (e.g., polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene), polylactic acid (e.g., for producing PET) and more.

Saccharification and fermentation may be carried out separately or simultaneously. This includes, but is not limited to, separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF); simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF); simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSCF); hybrid hydrolysis and fermentation (HHF); separate hydrolysis and co-fermentation (SHCF); hybrid hydrolysis and co-fermentation (HHCF); and direct microbial conversion (DMC). SHF uses separate steps to first enzymatically saccharify (hydrolyze) cellulosic material to fermentable sugars, e.g., glucose, cellobiose, cellotriose, and pentose sugars, and then ferment the fermentable sugars to ethanol. In SSF, the enzymatic saccharification of cellulosic materials and the fermentation of sugars to, e.g., ethanol are combined in one step (Philippidis, G. P., 1996, Cellulose bioconversion technology, in Handbook on Bioethanol: Production and Utilization, Wyman, C. E., ed., Taylor & Francis, Washington, D.C., 179-212). SSCF involves the cofermentation of multiple sugars (Sheehan and Himmel, 1999, Enzymes, energy and the environment: A strategic perspective on the U.S. Department of Energy's research and development activities for bioethanol, Biotechnol. Prog. 15: 817-827). HHF involves a separate saccharification (hydrolysis) step, and in addition a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation step, which can be carried out in the same reactor. The steps in an HHF process can be carried out at different temperatures, i.e., high temperature enzymatic saccharification followed by SSF at a lower temperature that the fermentation strain can tolerate. DMC combines all three processes (enzyme production, hydrolysis, and fermentation) in one or more (several) steps where the same organism is used to produce the enzymes for conversion of the cellulosic material to fermentable sugars and to convert the fermentable sugars into a final product (Lynd et al., 2002, Microbial cellulose utilization: Fundamentals and biotechnology, Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Reviews 66: 506-577). It is understood herein that any method known in the art comprising pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis (saccharification), fermentation, or a combination thereof, can be used for practicing the methods of the present invention.

A conventional apparatus can include a fed-batch stirred reactor, a batch stirred reactor, a continuous flow stirred reactor with ultrafiltration, and/or a continuous plug-flow column reactor (Fernanda de Castilhos Corazza et al., 2003, Optimal control in fed-batch reactor for the cellobiose hydrolysis, Acta Scientiarum. Technology 25: 33-38; Gusakov and Sinitsyn, 1985, Kinetics of the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose: 1. A mathematical model for a batch reactor process, Enz. Microb. Technol. 7: 346-352), an attrition reactor (Ryu and Lee, 1983, Bioconversion of waste cellulose by using an attrition bioreactor, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 25: 53-65), or a reactor with intensive stirring induced by an electromagnetic field (Gusakov et al., 1996, Enhancement of enzymatic cellulose saccharification using a novel type of bioreactor with intensive stirring induced by electromagnetic field, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 56: 141-153). Additional reactor types include: fluidized bed, upflow blanket, immobilized, and extruder type reactors for hydrolysis and/or fermentation.

Cellulosic Material. The cellulosic material may be any biomass material. In a preferred embodiment the cellulosic material has been pretreated, e.g., by chemical and/or physical pretreatment, such as by dilute acid and/or steam explosion pretreatment. Examples of suitable pretreatments can be found in the “Pretreatment”-section below. The cellulosic material may be pretreated corn stover (PCS), such as dilute acid pretreated corn stover. The cellulosic material may also be unwashed, such as unwashed pretreated corn stover (uwPCS).

Pretreatment. Pretreated cellulosic material may be, e.g., pretreated by a chemical pretreatment, a physical pretreatment, or a chemical pretreatment and a physical pretreatment, as described below. In one aspect, the pretreated cellulosic material has been pretreated by a chemical pretreatment. In another aspect, the pretreated cellulosic material has been pretreated by physical pretreatment. In another aspect, the pretreated cellulosic material has been pretreated by a chemical pretreatment and a physical pretreatment. In some aspects, the pretreated cellulosic material is pretreated corn stover (PCS).

Any suitable pretreatment process known in the art can be used to disrupt plant cell wall components of cellulosic material (Chandra et al., 2007, Substrate pretreatment: The key to effective enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosics?, Adv. Biochem. Engin./Biotechnol. 108: 67-93; Galbe and Zacchi, 2007, Pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials for efficient bioethanol production, Adv. Biochem. Engin./Biotechnol. 108: 41-65; Hendriks and Zeeman, 2009, Pretreatments to enhance the digestibility of lignocellulosic biomass, Bioresource Technol. 100: 10-18; Mosier et al., 2005, Features of promising technologies for pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, Bioresource Technol. 96: 673-686; Taherzadeh and Karimi, 2008, Pretreatment of lignocellulosic wastes to improve ethanol and biogas production: A review, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 9: 1621-1651; Yang and Wyman, 2008, Pretreatment: the key to unlocking low-cost cellulosic ethanol, Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining-Biofpr. 2: 26-40).

The cellulosic material can also be subjected to particle size reduction, pre-soaking, wetting, washing, or conditioning prior to pretreatment using methods known in the art.

Conventional pretreatments include, but are not limited to, steam pretreatment (with or without explosion), dilute acid pretreatment, hot water pretreatment, alkaline pretreatment, lime pretreatment, wet oxidation, wet explosion, ammonia fiber explosion, organosolv pretreatment, and biological pretreatment. Additional pretreatments include ammonia percolation, ultrasound, electroporation, microwave, supercritical CO₂, supercritical H₂O, ozone, and gamma irradiation pretreatments.

The cellulosic material can be pretreated before hydrolysis and/or fermentation. Pretreatment is preferably performed prior to the hydrolysis. Alternatively, the pretreatment can be carried out simultaneously with enzyme hydrolysis to release fermentable sugars, such as glucose, xylose, and/or cellobiose. In most cases the pretreatment step itself results in some conversion of cellulosic material to fermentable sugars (even in absence of enzymes).

Steam Pretreatment. In steam pretreatment, the cellulosic material is heated to disrupt the plant cell wall components, including lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose to make the cellulose and other fractions, e.g., hemicellulose, accessible to enzymes. The cellulosic material is passed to or through a reaction vessel where steam is injected to increase the temperature to the required temperature and pressure and is retained therein for the desired reaction time. Steam pretreatment may be performed at 140-230° C., e.g., 160-200° C., or 170-190° C., where the optimal temperature range depends on any addition of a chemical catalyst. The residence time for the steam pretreatment may be 1-15 minutes, e.g., 3-12 minutes, or 4-10 minutes, where the optimal residence time depends on temperature range and any addition of a chemical catalyst. Steam pretreatment allows for relatively high solids loadings, so that cellulosic material is generally only moist during the pretreatment. Steam pretreatment is often combined with an explosive discharge of the material after the pretreatment, which is known as steam explosion, that is, rapid flashing to atmospheric pressure and turbulent flow of the material to increase the accessible surface area by fragmentation (Duff and Murray, 1996, Bioresource Technology 855: 1-33; Galbe and Zacchi, 2002, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 59: 618-628; U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0164730). During steam pretreatment, hemicellulose acetyl groups are cleaved and the resulting acid autocatalyzes partial hydrolysis of the hemicellulose to hemicellulose monosaccharides and hemicellulose oligosaccharides, which become more solubilized. Lignin is removed to only a limited extent. The resulting liquor primarily contains dissolved hemicellulosic material (e.g., hemicellulose monosaccharides and hemicellulose oligosaccharides), whereas the remaining solids primarily consists of cellulosic material.

A catalyst such as H₂SO₄ or SO₂ (typically 0.3 to 3% w/w) is often added prior to steam pretreatment, which decreases the time and temperature, increases the recovery, and improves enzymatic hydrolysis (Ballesteros et al., 2006, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 129-132: 496-508; Varga et al., 2004, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 113-116: 509-523; Sassner et al., 2006, Enzyme Microb. Technol. 39: 756-762).

Chemical Pretreatment. The term “chemical treatment” refers to any chemical pretreatment that promotes the separation and/or release of cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignin. Examples of suitable chemical pretreatment processes include, for example, dilute acid pretreatment, lime pretreatment, wet oxidation, ammonia fiber/freeze explosion (AFEX), ammonia percolation (APR), and organosolv pretreatments.

In dilute acid pretreatment, cellulosic material is mixed with dilute acid, typically H₂SO₄, and water to form a slurry, heated by steam to the desired temperature, and after a residence time flashed to atmospheric pressure. The dilute acid pretreatment can be performed with a number of reactor designs, e.g., plug-flow reactors, counter-current reactors, or continuous counter-current shrinking bed reactors (Duff and Murray, 1996, supra; Schell et al., 2004, Bioresource Technol. 91: 179-188; Lee et al., 1999, Adv. Biochem. Eng. Biotechnol. 65: 93-115).

Several methods of pretreatment under alkaline conditions can also be used. These alkaline pretreatments include, but are not limited to, lime pretreatment, wet oxidation, ammonia percolation (APR), and ammonia fiber/freeze explosion (AFEX).

Lime pretreatment is performed with calcium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, or ammonia at low temperatures of 85-150° C. and residence times from 1 hour to several days (Wyman et al., 2005, Bioresource Technol. 96: 1959-1966; Mosier et al., 2005, Bioresource Technol. 96: 673-686). WO 2006/110891, WO 2006/110899, WO 2006/110900, and WO 2006/110901 disclose pretreatment methods using ammonia.

Wet oxidation is a thermal pretreatment performed typically at 180-200° C. for 5-15 minutes with addition of an oxidative agent such as hydrogen peroxide or over-pressure of oxygen (Schmidt and Thomsen, 1998, Bioresource Technol. 64: 139-151; Palonen et al., 2004, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 117: 1-17; Varga et al., 2004, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 88: 567-574; Martin et al., 2006, J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 81: 1669-1677). The pretreatment is performed at preferably 1-40% dry matter, more preferably 2-30% dry matter, and most preferably 5-20% dry matter, and often the initial pH is increased by the addition of alkali such as sodium carbonate.

A modification of the wet oxidation pretreatment method, known as wet explosion (combination of wet oxidation and steam explosion), can handle dry matter up to 30%. In wet explosion, the oxidizing agent is introduced during pretreatment after a certain residence time. The pretreatment is then ended by flashing to atmospheric pressure (WO 2006/032282).

Ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) involves treating cellulosic material with liquid or gaseous ammonia at moderate temperatures such as 90-100° C. and high pressure such as 17-20 bar for 5-10minutes, where the dry matter content can be as high as 60% (Gollapalli et al., 2002, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 98: 23-35; Chundawat et al., 2007, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 96: 219-231; Alizadeh et al., 2005, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 121: 1133-1141; Teymouri et al., 2005, Bioresource Technol. 96: 2014-2018). AFEX pretreatment results in the depolymerization of cellulose and partial hydrolysis of hemicellulose. Lignin-carbohydrate complexes are cleaved.

Organosolv pretreatment delignifies cellulosic material by extraction using aqueous ethanol (40-60% ethanol) at 160-200° C. for 30-60 minutes (Pan et al., 2005, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 90: 473-481; Pan et al., 2006, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 94: 851-861; Kurabi et al., 2005, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 121: 219-230). Sulphuric acid is usually added as a catalyst. In organosolv pretreatment, the majority of hemicellulose is removed.

Other examples of suitable pretreatment methods are described by Schell et al., 2003, Appl. Biochem. and Biotechnol. 105-108: 69-85, and Mosier et al., 2005, Bioresource Technology 96: 673-686, and U.S. Published Application 2002/0164730.

In one aspect, the chemical pretreatment is carried out as an acid treatment, such as a continuous dilute and/or mild acid treatment. The acid is may be sulfuric acid, but other acids can also be used, such as acetic acid, citric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, hydrogen chloride, or mixtures thereof. Mild acid treatment is conducted in the pH range of preferably 1-5, more preferably 1-4, and most preferably 1-3. In one aspect, the acid concentration is in the range of 0.01 to 20 wt. % acid, preferably 0.05 to 10 wt. % acid, more preferably 0.1 to 5 wt. % acid, and most preferably 0.2 to 2.0 wt. % acid. The acid is contacted with biomass material and held at a temperature in the range of preferably 160-220° C., and more preferably 165-195° C., for periods ranging from seconds to minutes, e.g., 1 second to 60 minutes.

In another aspect, pretreatment is carried out as an ammonia fiber explosion step (AFEX pretreatment step).

In another aspect, pretreatment takes place in an aqueous slurry. In one aspect, cellulosic material is present during pretreatment in amounts preferably between 10-80 wt. %, e.g., between 20-70 wt. %, or between 30-60 wt. %, such as around 50 wt. %. The pretreated cellulosic material can be unwashed or washed using any method known in the art, e.g., washed with water.

Mechanical Pretreatment or Physical Pretreatment. The term “mechanical pretreatment” or “physical pretreatment” refers to any pretreatment that promotes size reduction of particles. For example, such pretreatment can involve various types of grinding or milling (e.g., dry milling, wet milling, or vibratory ball milling).

The cellulosic material can be pretreated both physically (mechanically) and chemically. Mechanical or physical pretreatment can be coupled with steaming/steam explosion, hydrothermolysis, dilute or mild acid treatment, high temperature, high pressure treatment, irradiation (e.g., microwave irradiation), or combinations thereof. In one aspect, high pressure means pressure in the range of preferably about 100 to about 400 psi, more preferably about 150 to about 250 psi. In another aspect, high temperature means temperatures in the range of about 100 to about 300° C., preferably about 140 to about 200° C. In a preferred aspect, mechanical or physical pretreatment is performed in a batch-process using a steam gun hydrolyzer system that uses high pressure and high temperature as defined above, e.g., a Sunds Hydrolyzer available from Sunds Defibrator AB, Sweden. The physical and chemical pretreatments can be carried out sequentially or simultaneously, as desired.

Accordingly, in a preferred aspect, the cellulosic material is subjected to physical (mechanical) or chemical pretreatment, or any combination thereof, to promote the separation and/or release of cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignin.

Biological Pretreatment: The term “biological pretreatment” refers to any biological pretreatment that promotes the separation and/or release of cellulose, hemicellulose, and/or lignin from biomass material. Biological pretreatment techniques can involve applying lignin-solubilizing microorganisms (see, for example, Hsu, T.-A., 1996, Pretreatment of biomass, in Handbook on Bioethanol: Production and Utilization, Wyman, C. E., ed., Taylor & Francis, Washington, D.C., 179-212; Ghosh and Singh, 1993, Physicochemical and biological treatments for enzymatic/microbial conversion of cellulosic biomass, Adv. Appl. Microbiol. 39: 295-333; McMillan, J. D., 1994, Pretreating lignocellulosic biomass: a review, in Enzymatic Conversion of Biomass for Fuels Production, Himmel, M. E., Baker, J. O., and Overend, R. P., eds., ACS Symposium Series 566, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., chapter 15; Gong, C. S., Cao, N. J., Du, J., and Tsao, G. T., 1999, Ethanol production from renewable resources, in Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, Scheper, T., ed., Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, Germany, 65: 207-241; Olsson and Hahn-Hagerdal, 1996, Fermentation of lignocellulosic hydrolysates for ethanol production, Enz. Microb. Tech. 18: 312-331; and Vallander and Eriksson, 1990, Production of ethanol from lignocellulosic materials: State of the art, Adv. Biochem. Eng./Biotechnol. 42: 63-95).

Fermentation. The fermentable sugars obtained from the saccharifying cellulosic material in accordance with the invention can be fermented by one or more (several) fermenting microorganisms capable of fermenting the sugars (e.g., glucose, xylose) directly or indirectly into a desired fermentation product (e.g., ethanol).

“Fermentation” or “fermentation process” refers to any fermentation process or any process comprising a fermentation step. Fermentation processes also include fermentation processes used in the consumable alcohol industry (e.g., beer and wine), dairy industry (e.g., fermented dairy products), leather industry, and tobacco industry. The fermentation conditions depend on the desired fermentation product and fermenting organism and can easily be determined by one skilled in the art.

In the fermentation step, sugars, released from cellulosic material as a result of the enzymatic saccharification, are fermented to a product, e.g., ethanol, by a fermenting organism, such as yeast. Saccharification and fermentation can be separate or simultaneous, as described herein.

Any suitable cellulosic material saccharified according to the invention can be used in the fermentation step in practicing the present invention. The material is generally selected based on the desired fermentation product, i.e., the substance to be obtained from the fermentation, and the process employed.

The term “fermentation medium” is understood herein to refer to a medium before the fermenting microorganism(s) is(are) added, such as, a medium resulting from saccharification, as well as a medium used in, e.g., a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process (SSF).

“Fermenting microorganism” refers to any microorganism, including bacterial and fungal organisms, suitable for use in a desired fermentation process to produce a fermentation product. The fermenting organism can be hexose and/or pentose fermenting organisms, or a combination thereof. Both hexose and pentose fermenting organisms are well known in the art. Suitable fermenting microorganisms are able to ferment, i.e., convert, sugars, such as glucose, xylose, xylulose, arabinose, maltose, mannose, galactose, and/or oligosaccharides, directly or indirectly into the desired fermentation product.

Examples of bacterial and fungal fermenting organisms producing ethanol are described by Lin et al., 2006, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 69: 627-642.

Examples of fermenting microorganisms that can ferment C₆ sugars include bacterial and fungal organisms, such as yeast. Preferred yeast includes strains of Saccharomyces spp., preferably Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Examples of fermenting organisms that can ferment C₅ sugars include bacterial and fungal organisms, such as yeast. Preferred C₅ fermenting yeast include strains of Pichia, preferably Pichia stipitis, such as Pichia stipitis CBS 5773; strains of Candida, preferably Candida boidinii, Candida brassicae, Candida sheatae, Candida diddensii, Candida pseudotropicalis, or Candida utilis.

Other fermenting organisms include strains of Zymomonas, such as Zymomonas mobilis; Hansenula, such as Hansenula anomala; Kluyveromyces, such as K. marxianus, K lactis, K. thermotolerans, and K. fragilis; Schizosaccharomyces, such as S. pombe; E. coli, especially E. colistrains that have been genetically modified to improve the yield of ethanol; Clostridium, such as Clostridium acetobutylicum, Chlostridium thermocellum, and Chlostridium phytofermentans; Geobacillus sp.; Thermoanaerobacter, such as Thermoanaerobacter saccharolyticum; and Bacillus, such as Bacillus coagulans; Candida, such as C. sonorensis, C. methanosorbosa, C. diddensiae, C. parapsilosis, C. naedodendra, C. blankii C. entomophilia, C. brassicae, C. pseudotropicalis, C. boidinii, C. utilis, and C. scehatae; Klebsiella, such as K. oxytoca.

In one aspect, the yeast is a Saccharomyces spp. In another aspect, the yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In another aspect, the yeast is Saccharomyces distaticus. In another aspect, the yeast is Saccharomyces uvarum. In another aspect, the yeast is a Kluyveromyces. In another aspect, the yeast is Kluyveromyces marxianus. In another aspect, the yeast is Kluyveromyces fragilis. In another aspect, the yeast is a Candida. In another aspect, the yeast is Candida boidinii. In another aspect, the yeast is Candida brassicae. In another aspect, the yeast is Candida diddensii. In another aspect, the yeast is Candida pseudotropicalis. In another aspect, the yeast is Candida utilis. In another aspect, the yeast is a Clavispora. In another aspect, the yeast is Clavispora lusitaniae. In another aspect, the yeast is Clavispora opuntiae. In another aspect, the yeast is a Pachysolen. In another aspect, the yeast is Pachysolen tannophilus. In another aspect, the yeast is a Pichia. In another aspect, the yeast is a Pichia stipitis. In another aspect, the yeast is a Bretannomyces. In another aspect, the yeast is Bretannomyces clausenii (Philippidis, 1996, supra).

Bacteria that can efficiently ferment hexose and pentose to ethanol include, for example, Zymomonas mobilis, Clostridium acetobutylicum, Clostridium thermocellum, Clostridium phytofermentans, Geobacillus sp., Thermoanaerobacter saccharolyticum, and Bacillus coagulans (Philippidis, 1996, supra).

In one aspect, the bacterium is a Zymomonas. In one aspect, the bacterium is Zymomonas mobilis. In another aspect, the bacterium is a Clostridium. In another aspect, the bacterium is Clostridium acetobutylicum. In another aspect, the bacterium is Clostridium phytofermentan. In another aspect, the bacterium is Clostridium thermocellum. In another aspect, the bacterium is Geobacillus sp. In another aspect, the bacterium is Thermoanaerobacter saccharolyticum. In another aspect, the bacterium is Bacillus coagulans.

Commercially available yeast suitable for ethanol production includes, e.g., ETHANOL RED™ yeast (available from Fermentis/Lesaffre, USA), FALI™ (available from Fleischmann's Yeast, USA), SUPERSTART™ and THERMOSACC™ fresh yeast (available from Ethanol Technology, WI, USA), BIOFERM™ AFT and XR (available from NABC—North American Bioproducts Corporation, GA, USA), GERT STRAND™ (available from Gert Strand AB, Sweden), and FERMIOL™ (available from DSM Specialties).

In one aspect, the fermenting microorganism has been genetically modified to provide the ability to ferment pentose sugars, such as xylose utilizing, arabinose utilizing, and xylose and arabinose co-utilizing microorganisms.

The cloning of heterologous genes into various fermenting microorganisms has led to the construction of organisms capable of converting hexoses and pentoses to ethanol (cofermentation) (Chen and Ho, 1993, Cloning and improving the expression of Pichia stipitis xylose reductase gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 39-40: 135-147; Ho et al., 1998, Genetically engineered Saccharomyces yeast capable of effectively cofermenting glucose and xylose, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 1852-1859; Kotter and Ciriacy, 1993, Xylose fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 38: 776-783; Walfridsson et al., 1995, Xylose-metabolizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains overexpressing the TKL1 and TALI genes encoding the pentose phosphate pathway enzymes transketolase and transaldolase, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61: 4184-4190; Kuyper et al., 2004, Minimal metabolic engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for efficient anaerobic xylose fermentation: a proof of principle, FEMS Yeast Research 4: 655-664; Beall et al., 1991, Parametric studies of ethanol production from xylose and other sugars by recombinant Escherichia coli, Biotech. Bioeng. 38: 296-303; Ingram et al., 1998, Metabolic engineering of bacteria for ethanol production, Biotechnol. Bioeng. 58: 204-214; Zhang et al., 1995, Metabolic engineering of a pentose metabolism pathway in ethanologenic Zymomonas mobilis, Science 267: 240-243; Deanda et al., 1996, Development of an arabinose-fermenting Zymomonas mobilis strain by metabolic pathway engineering, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 62: 4465-4470; WO 2003/062430, xylose isomerase).

In one aspect, the genetically modified fermenting microorganism is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In another aspect, the genetically modified fermenting microorganism is Zymomonas mobilis. In another aspect, the genetically modified fermenting microorganism is Escherichia coli. In another aspect, the genetically modified fermenting microorganism is Klebsiella oxytoca. In another aspect, the genetically modified fermenting microorganism is Kluyveromyces sp.

It is well known in the art that the organisms described above can also be used to produce other substances, as described herein.

The fermenting microorganism is typically added to saccharified pretreated cellulosic material and the fermentation may be performed for about 8 to about 96 hours, such as about 24 to about 60 hours. The temperature is typically between about 26° C. to about 60° C., in particular about 32° C. or 50° C., and at about pH 3 to about pH 8, such as around pH 4-5, 6, or 7.

In one aspect, the yeast and/or another microorganism, is applied to the saccharified pretreated cellulosic material and then fermentation is performed for about 12 hours to about 96 hours, such as 24-60 hours. In one aspect, the temperature is between about 20° C. to about 60° C., e.g., about 25° C. to about 50° C., or about 32° C. to about 50° C., and the pH is generally from about pH 3 to about pH 7, e.g., around pH 4-7, such as about pH 5.

However, some fermenting organisms, e.g., bacteria, have higher fermentation temperature optima. Yeast or another microorganism is preferably applied in amounts of approximately 10⁵ to 10¹², e.g., from approximately 10⁷ to 10¹⁰, especially approximately 2×10⁸ viable cell count per mL of fermentation broth. Further guidance in respect of using yeast for fermentation can be found in, e.g., “The Alcohol Textbook” (Editors K. Jacques, T. P. Lyons and D. R. Kelsall, Nottingham University Press, United Kingdom 1999), which is hereby incorporated by reference.

For ethanol production, following the fermentation, the fermented slurry may be distilled to extract the ethanol. The ethanol obtained according to a method of the invention can be used as, e.g., fuel ethanol, drinking ethanol, i.e., potable neutral spirits, or industrial ethanol.

A fermentation stimulator can be used in combination with any of the methods described herein to further improve the fermentation process, and in particular, the performance of the fermenting microorganism, such as, rate enhancement and ethanol yield. A “fermentation stimulator” refers to stimulators for growth of the fermenting microorganisms, in particular, yeast. Preferred fermentation stimulators for growth include vitamins and minerals. Examples of vitamins include multivitamins, biotin, pantothenate, nicotinic acid, meso-inositol, thiamine, pyridoxine, para-aminobenzoic acid, folic acid, riboflavin, and Vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. See, for example, Alfenore et al., Improving ethanol production and viability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by a vitamin feeding strategy during fed-batch process, Springer-Verlag (2002), which is hereby incorporated by reference. Examples of minerals include minerals and mineral salts that can supply nutrients comprising P, K, Mg, S, Ca, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu.

Fermentation Products: The fermentation product can be any substance derived from fermentation. The fermentation product can, without limitation, be an alcohol (e.g., arabinitol, butanol, ethanol, glycerol, methanol, 1,3-propanediol, sorbitol, and xylitol); an organic acid (e.g., acetic acid, acetonic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, 2,5-diketo-D-gluconic acid, formic acid, fumaric acid, glucaric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, glutaric acid, 3-hydroxypropionic acid, itaconic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid, oxaloacetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, and xylonic acid); a ketone (e.g., acetone); an amino acid (e.g., aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, lysine, serine, and threonine); an alkane (e.g., pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, undecane, and dodecane), a cycloalkane (e.g., cyclopentane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane, and cyclooctane), an alkene (e.g., pentene, hexene, heptene, and octene); and a gas (e.g., methane, hydrogen (H₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO)). The fermentation product can also be protein as a high value product.

In one aspect, the fermentation product is an alcohol. It will be understood that the term “alcohol” encompasses a substance that contains one or more hydroxyl moieties. In one aspect, the alcohol is arabinitol. In another aspect, the alcohol is butanol. In another aspect, the alcohol is ethanol. In another aspect, the alcohol is glycerol. In another aspect, the alcohol is methanol. In another aspect, the alcohol is 1,3-propanediol. In another aspect, the alcohol is sorbitol. In another aspect, the alcohol is xylitol. See, for example, Gong et al., 1999, Ethanol production from renewable resources, in Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology, Scheper, T., ed., Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, Germany, 65: 207-241; Silveira and Jonas, 2002, The biotechnological production of sorbitol, Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 59: 400-408; Nigam and Singh, 1995, Processes for fermentative production of xylitol—a sugar substitute, Process Biochemistry 30(2): 117-124; Ezeji et al., 2003, Production of acetone, butanol and ethanol by Clostridium beijerinckii BA101 and in situ recovery by gas stripping, World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 19(6): 595-603.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an organic acid. In one aspect, the organic acid is acetic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is acetonic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is adipic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is ascorbic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is citric acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is 2,5-diketo-D-gluconic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is formic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is fumaric acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is glucaric acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is gluconic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is glucuronic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is glutaric acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is 3-hydroxypropionic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is itaconic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is lactic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is malic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is malonic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is oxalic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is propionic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is succinic acid. In another aspect, the organic acid is xylonic acid. See, for example, Chen and Lee, 1997, Membrane-mediated extractive fermentation for lactic acid production from cellulosic biomass, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 63-65: 435-448.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is a ketone. It will be understood that the term “ketone” encompasses a substance that contains one or more ketone moieties. In another aspect, the ketone is acetone. See, for example, Qureshi and Blaschek, 2003, supra.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an amino acid. In one aspect, the amino acid is aspartic acid. In another aspect, the amino acid is glutamic acid. In another aspect, the amino acid is glycine. In another aspect, the amino acid is lysine. In another aspect, the amino acid is serine. In another aspect, the amino acid is threonine. See, for example, Richard and Margaritis, 2004, Empirical modeling of batch fermentation kinetics for poly(glutamic acid) production and other microbial biopolymers, Biotechnology and Bioengineering 87(4): 501-515.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an alkane. The alkane can be an unbranched or a branched alkane. In one aspect, the alkane is pentane. In another aspect, the alkane is hexane. In another aspect, the alkane is heptane. In another aspect, the alkane is octane. In another aspect, the alkane is nonane. In another aspect, the alkane is decane. In another aspect, the alkane is undecane. In another aspect, the alkane is dodecane.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is a cycloalkane. In one aspect, the cycloalkane is cyclopentane. In another aspect, the cycoalkane is cyclohexane. In another aspect, the cycloalkane is cycloheptane. In another aspect, the cycloalkane is cyclooctane.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is an alkene. The alkene can be an unbranched or a branched alkene. In one aspect, the alkene is pentene. In another aspect, the alkene is hexene. In another aspect, the alkene is heptene. In another aspect, the alkene is octene.

In one aspect, the fermentation product is isoprene. In another aspect, the fermentation product is polyketide.

In another aspect, the fermentation product is a gas. In one aspect, the gas is methane. In another aspect, the gas is H₂. In another aspect, the gas is CO₂. In another aspect, the gas is CO. See, for example, Kataoka et al., 1997, Studies on hydrogen production by continuous culture system of hydrogen-producing anaerobic bacteria, Water Science and Technology 36(6-7): 41-47; and Gunaseelan, 1997, Anaerobic digestion of biomass for methane production: A review, Biomass and Bioenergy 13(1-2): 83-114.

Recovery. The fermentation product(s) may optionally be recovered from the fermentation medium using any method known in the art including, but not limited to, chromatography, electrophoretic procedures, differential solubility, distillation, or extraction. For example, alcohol is separated from the fermented sugar cane trash and purified by conventional methods of distillation. Ethanol with a purity of up to about 96 vol. % can be obtained, which can be used as, for example, fuel ethanol, drinking ethanol, i.e., potable neutral spirits, or industrial ethanol.

Enzymes

The enzyme(s) and polypeptides described below are to be used in an “effective amount” in processes of the present invention. Below should be read in context of the enzyme disclosure in the “Definitions”-section above.

Cellulolytic Enzyme Compositions Used for Saccharification

The cellulolytic enzyme compositions can comprise any protein useful in degrading the cellulosic material. The cellulolytic enzyme composition used for saccharification may be of any origin, such as microbial origin, such as eukaryotic origin, such as fungal origin, e.g., filamentous fungal origin.

In one aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises or further comprises one or more (e.g., several) proteins selected from the group consisting of a cellulase, a hemicellulase, an esterase, an expansin, a ligninolytic enzyme, an oxidoreductase, a pectinase, a protease, and a swollenin. In another aspect, the cellulase is preferably one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of an endoglucanase, a cellobiohydrolase, and a beta-glucosidase. In another aspect, the hemicellulase is preferably one or more (e.g., several) enzymes selected from the group consisting of an acetylmannan esterase, an acetylxylan esterase, an arabinanase, an arabinofuranosidase, a coumaric acid esterase, a feruloyl esterase, a galactosidase, a glucuronidase, a glucuronoyl esterase, a mannanase, a mannosidase, a xylanase, and a xylosidase. In another aspect, the oxidoreductase is a catalase, a laccase, or a peroxidase.

In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises one or more (e.g., several) cellulolytic enzymes. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises or further comprises one or more (e.g., several) hemicellulolytic enzymes. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises one or more (e.g., several) cellulolytic enzymes and one or more (e.g., several) hemicellulolytic enzymes. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase and a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase and a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, or a combination of a cellobiohydrolase I and a cellobiohydrolase II. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase and a beta-glucosidase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase and a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase and a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, or a combination of a cellobiohydrolase I and a cellobiohydrolase II. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, and a cellobiohydrolase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, and a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, or a combination of a cellobiohydrolase I and a cellobiohydrolase II.

In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an acetylmannan esterase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an acetylxylan esterase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an arabinanase (e.g., alpha-L-arabinanase). In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an arabinofuranosidase (e.g., alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase). In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a coumaric acid esterase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a feruloyl esterase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a galactosidase (e.g., alpha-galactosidase and/or beta-galactosidase). In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a glucuronidase (e.g., alpha-D-glucuronidase). In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a glucuronoyl esterase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a mannanase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a mannosidase (e.g., beta-mannosidase). In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a xylanase. In an embodiment, the xylanase is a Family 10 xylanase. In another embodiment, the xylanase is a Family 11 xylanase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a xylosidase (e.g., beta-xylosidase).

In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a CIP. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an esterase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an expansin. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a ligninolytic enzyme. In an embodiment, the ligninolytic enzyme is a manganese peroxidase. In another embodiment, the ligninolytic enzyme is a lignin peroxidase. In another embodiment, the ligninolytic enzyme is a H₂O₂-producing enzyme. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a pectinase. In another aspect, the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises an oxidoreductase. In another embodiment, the oxidoreductase is a laccase. In another embodiment, the oxidoreductase is a peroxidase. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a protease. In another aspect, the enzyme composition comprises a swollenin.

In an embodiment the cellulolytic enzyme composition is derived or isolated from a strain of Trichoderma, such as a strain of Trichoderma reesei; a strain of Humicola, such as a strain of Humicola insolens, and/or a strain of Chrysosporium, such as a strain of Chrysosporium lucknowense. In a preferred embodiment the cellulolytic enzyme composition is derived or isolated from a strain of Trichoderma reesei.

Examples of Trichoderma reseei cellulolytic enzyme compositions with recombinantly produced GH61 polypeptide are described in WO 2008/151079 (Novozymes) and WO 2013/028928 (Novozymes) which are both hereby incorporated by reference. Examples of suitable GH61 polypeptides can be found in the “GH61 polypeptide”-section below.

The cellulolytic enzyme composition may further comprise one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of: esterases, expansins, hemicellulases, laccases, ligninolytic enzymes, pectinases, peroxidases, proteases, and swollenins.

The optimum amount of the cellulolytic enzyme composition depends on several factors including, but not limited to, the mixture of component enzymes, the cellulosic material, the concentration of the cellulosic material, the pretreatment(s) of the cellulosic material, temperature, time, pH, and inclusion of fermenting organism (e.g., yeast).

The cellulolytic enzyme composition may be added in an amount of about 0.01 to about 50.0 mg, e.g., about 1 to about 25 mg, such as about 2-10 mg, such as about 4 to about 8 mg protein per g/DS of the cellulosic material.

Beta-Glucosidases

The cellulolytic enzyme composition used according to the invention may in one embodiment comprise one or more beta-glucosidase. The beta-glucosidase may be of any origin, such as microbial origin, such as eukaryotic origin, such as fungal origin, e.g., filamentous origin.

In one embodiment the beta-glucosidase is from a strain of Aspergillus, such as Aspergillus oryzae, such as the one disclosed in WO 02/095014 or the fusion protein having beta-glucosidase activity disclosed in WO 2008/057637 (see e.g., Examples 10-15), or Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the one disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein or an Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase variant, such as one disclosed in WO 2012/044915, such as one with the following substitutions: F100D, S283G, N456E, F512Y (using SEQ ID NO: 5 herein for numbering).

In another embodiment the beta-glucosidase is derived from a strain of Penicillium, such as a strain of the Penicillium brasilianum disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2007/019442, or a strain of Trichoderma, such as a strain of Trichoderma reesei.

In an embodiment beta-glucosidase is an Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase or homolog thereof selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a beta-glucosidase comprising the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein;

(ii) a beta-glucosidase comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein;

(iii) a beta-glucosidase encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at leasy 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in WO 2005/047499; and

(iv) a beta-glucosidase encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under medium, high stringency conditions, or very high stringency conditions, with the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in WO 2005/047499 or the full-length complement thereof.

In an embodiment the beta-glucosidase is a variant comprising a substitution at one or more (several) positions corresponding to positions 100, 283, 456, and 512 of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein, wherein the variant has beta-glucosidase activity.

In an embodiment the parent beta-glucosidase of the variant is (a) a polypeptide comprising the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein; (b) a polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 5 herein; (c) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under low, medium, high or very high stringency conditions with (i) the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in WO 2005/047499 (hereby incorporated by reference), (ii) the cDNA sequence contained in the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or (iii) the full-length complementary strand of (i) or (ii); (d) a polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide having at least 80% identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in WO 2005/047499 or the cDNA sequence thereof; or (e) a fragment of the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499, which has beta-glucosidase activity.

In an embodiment the variant has at least 80%, e.g., at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, but less than 100%, sequence identity to the amino acid sequence of the parent beta-glucosidase.

In an embodiment the variant has at least 80%, e.g., at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, but less than 100% sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein.

In an embodiment the number of substitutions is between 1 and 4, such as 1, 2, 3, or 4 substitutions.

In an embodiment the variant comprises a substitution at a position corresponding to position 100, a substitution at a position corresponding to position 283, a substitution at a position corresponding to position 456, and/or a substitution at a position corresponding to position 512.

In an embodiment the beta-glucosidase variant comprises the following substitutions: Phe100Asp, Ser283Gly, Asn456Glu, Phe512Tyr in SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein.

Endoglucanases

The cellulolytic enzyme composition used according to the invention comprises one or more endoglucoanase. The endoglucanase may be of any origin, such as microbial origin, such as eukaryotic origin, such as fungal origin, e.g., filamentous origin.

In an embodiment the endoglucanase(s) may be from a strain of Trichoderma, such as a strain of Trichoderma reesei; a strain of Humicola, such as a strain of Humicola insolens, and/or a strain of Chrysosporium, such as a strain of Chrysosporium lucknowense. In a preferred embodiment the endoglucoamase is derived from a strain of Trichoderma reesei.

Examples of fungal endoglucanases that can be used according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, a Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I (Penttila et al., 1986, Gene 45: 253-263; Trichoderma reesei Cel7B endoglucanase I; GENBANK™ accession no. M15665; Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase II (Saloheimo, et al., 1988, Gene 63:11-22; Trichoderma reesei Cel5A endoglucanase II; GENBANK™ accession no. M19373; Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase III (Okada et al., 1988, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64: 555-563; GENBANK™ accession no. AB003694; Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase V (Saloheimo et al., 1994, Molecular Microbiology 13: 219-228; GENBANK™ accession no. Z33381; Aspergillus aculeatus endoglucanase (Ooi et al., 1990, Nucleic Acids Research 18: 5884); Aspergillus kawachii endoglucanase (Sakamoto et al., 1995, Current Genetics 27: 435-439); Erwinia carotovara endoglucanase (Saarilahti et al., 1990, Gene 90: 9-14); Fusarium oxysporum endoglucanase (GENBANK™ accession no. L29381); Humicola grisea var. thermoidea endoglucanase (GENBANK™ accession no. AB003107); Melanocarpus albomyces endoglucanase (GENBANK™ accession no. MAL515703); Neurospora crassa endoglucanase (GENBANK™ accession no. XM_324477); Humicola insolens endoglucanase V; Myceliophthora thermophila CBS 117.65 endoglucanase basidiomycete CBS 495.95 endoglucanase; basidiomycete CBS 494.95 endoglucanase; Thielavia terrestris NRRL 8126 CEL6B endoglucanase; Thielavia terrestris NRRL 8126 CEL6C endoglucanase; Thielavia terrestris NRRL 8126 CEL7C endoglucanase; Thielavia terrestris NRRL 8126 CEL7E endoglucanase; Thielavia terrestris NRRL 8126 CEL7F endoglucanase; Cladorrhinum foecundissimum ATCC 62373 CEL7A endoglucanase; and Trichoderma reesei strain No. VTT-D-80133 endoglucanase; GENBANK™ accession no. M15665.

Examples of bacterial endoglucanases that can be used in the methods of the present invention, include, but are not limited to, an Acidothermus cellulolyticus endoglucanase (WO 91/05039; WO 93/15186; U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,944; WO 96/02551; U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,655, WO 00/70031, WO 05/093050); Thermobifida fusca endoglucanase III (WO 05/093050); and Thermobifida fusca endoglucanase V (WO 05/093050).

Cellobiohydrolase I

The cellulolytic composition used according to the invention may comprise one or more CBH I (cellobiohydrolase I). The cellobiohydrolase I may be of any origin, such as microbial origin, such as eukaryotic origin, such as fungal origin, e.g., filamentous origin.

In one embodiment the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI), such as one derived or isolated from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the Cel7A CBH I disclosed in SEQ ID NO: 6 in WO 2011/057140 or SEQ ID NO: 6 herein, or a strain of Trichoderma, such as a strain of Trichoderma reesei.

In an embodiment the Aspergillus fumigatus cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) or homolog thereof is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a cellobiohydrolase I comprising the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6 herein;

(ii) a cellobiohydrolase I comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 6 herein;

(iii) a cellobiohydrolase I encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 in WO 2011/057140 (hereby incorporated by reference); and

(iv) a cellobiohydrolase I encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under low, medium, high, or very high stringency conditions, with the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 in WO 2011/057140 or the full-length complement thereof.

Cellobiohydrolase II

The cellulolytic composition used according to the invention may comprise one or more CBH II (cellobiohydrolase II). The cellobiohydrolase II may be of any origin, such as microbial origin, such as eukaryotic origin, such as fungal origin, e.g., filamentous origin.

In one embodiment the cellobiohydrolase II (CBHII), such as one derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the one in SEQ ID NO: 7 herein or a strain of Trichoderma, such as Trichoderma reesei, or a strain of Thielavia, such as a strain of Thielavia terrestris, such as cellobiohydrolase II CEL6A from Thielavia terrestris.

In an embodiment the Aspergillus fumigatus cellobiohydrolase II or homolog thereof is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a cellobiohydrolase II comprising the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 4;

(ii) a cellobiohydrolase II comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 7 herein;

(iii) a cellobiohydrolase II encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 in WO 2013/028928 (hereby incorporated by reference); and

(iv) a cellobiohydrolase II encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under low, medium, or high stringency conditions, e.g., very high stringency conditions, with the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3 in WO 2013/028928 or the full-length complement thereof.

GH61 Polypeptides

A GH61 polypeptide is according to the invention present during saccharification together with a cellulolytic enzyme composition. The GH61 polypeptide may be of any origin, such as microbial origin, such as eukaryotic origin, such as fungal origin, e.g., filamentous origin.

The GH61 polypeptide may be added separately, simultaneously with or as part of the cellulolytic enzyme composition.

The GH61 polypeptide may be native or foreign to the strain from which the cellulolytic enzyme composition is derived or isolated, such as a strain of Trichoderma reesei, Humicola insolens, Talaromyces emersonii, or Chrysosporium lucknowense (Myceliophthora thermophila). In an embodiment the GH61 polypeptide is a recombinant GH61 polypeptide. In an embodiment the GH61 polypeptide is not of the same origin as the cellulolytic enzyme composition's host cell, e.g., not of Trichoderma origin, such as not of Trichoderma reesei origin. In an embodiment the GH61 polypeptide is produced recombinantly as part of the cellulolytic enzyme composition, e.g., produced by the Trichoderma reesei host cell producing the cellulolytic enzyme composition.

In one embodiment the GH61 polypeptide is derived or isolated from Thermoascus, such as a strain of Thermoascus aurantiacus, such as the one described in WO 2005/074656 as SEQ ID NO: 2 and SEQ ID NO: 1 herein; or derived or isolated from Thielavia, such as a strain of Thielavia terrestris, such as the one described in WO 2005/074647 as SEQ ID NO: 8 or SEQ ID NO: 4 herein; or derived or isolated from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the one described in WO 2010/138754 as SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 3 herein; or derived or isolated from a strain of Penicillium, such as a strain of Penicillium emersonii, such as the one disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2011/041397 or SEQ ID NO: 2 herein.

In an embodiment the Penicillium sp. GH61 polypeptide or homolog thereof is selected from the group consisting of:

(i) a GH61 polypeptide comprising the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 8 herein;

(ii) a GH61 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 8 herein;

(iii) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in WO 2011/041397 (hereby incorporated by reference); and

(iv) a GH61 polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under low, medium, high, or very high stringency conditions, with the mature polypeptide coding sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in WO 2011/041397 or the full-length complement thereof.

In an embodiment the polypeptide or homolog thereof is selected from the group consisting of a GH61 polypeptide comprising the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/074656; SEQ ID NO: 8 in WO 2005/074647; SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2010/138754; or a GH61 polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70%, e.g., at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% identity to the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/074656; SEQ ID NO: 8 in WO 2005/074647; or SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2010/138754 (all references and sequences hereby incorporated by reference).

In an embodiment the GH61 polypeptide constitutes from 0.1-25%, such as 0.5-20%, 0.5-15%, 0.5-10%, or 0.5-7% of the cellulolytic enzyme composition. In an embodiment the amount of GH61 polypeptide to cellulolytic enzyme composition is about 1 g to about 1000 g, such as about 1 g to about 200 g, about 1 g to about 100 g, about 1 g to about 50 g, about 1 g to about 20 g, about 1 g to about 15 g, about 1 g to about 10 g, about 1 g to about 7 g, or about 1 g to about 4 g per g of cellulolytic enzyme composition.

Specific Cellulosic Enzyme Compositions Comprising a GH61 Polypeptide

The following is a list of a number of cellulolytic enzyme compositions comprising a GH61 polypeptide for use in the present invention.

In an embodiment the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme composition, further comprising a Thermoascus aurantiacus GH61A polypeptide (WO 2005/074656 and SEQ ID NO: 1 herein) and an Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase fusion protein (see WO 2008/057637—Examples 10-15).

In another embodiment the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme composition, further comprising a Thermoascus aurantiacus GH61A polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/074656 or SEQ ID NO: 1 herein) and an Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (SEQ ID NO: 2 of WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein).

In another embodiment the cellulolytic composition comprises a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme composition, further comprising a Penicillium emersonii GH61A polypeptide disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2011/041397 or SEQ ID NO: 2 herein, an Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (SEQ ID NO: 2 of WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein) or a variant thereof with the following substitutions: F100D, S283G, N456E, F512Y (using SEQ ID NO: 5 herein for numbering)(disclosed in WO 2012/044915).

Formulation of Cellulolytic Enzyme Compositions

A cellulolytic enzyme composition used according to the invention may be in any form suitable for use, such as, for example, a crude fermentation broth with or without cells removed, a cell lysate with or without cellular debris, a semi-purified or purified enzyme composition, or a host cell, e.g., Trichoderma host cell, as a source of the enzymes.

The cellulolytic enzyme composition may be a dry powder or granulate, a non-dusting granulate, a liquid, a stabilized liquid, or a stabilized protected enzyme. Liquid enzyme compositions may, for instance, be stabilized by adding stabilizers such as a sugar, a sugar alcohol or another polyol, and/or lactic acid or another organic acid according to established processes.

Commercial Cellulolytic Enzyme Compositions

The cellulolytic enzyme compositions used in accordance with the methods of the invention may be a commercial cellulolytic enzyme composition. Examples of commercial cellulolytic enzyme composition suitable for use according to the present invention include, for example, CELLIC™ CTec (Novozymes A/S), CELLIC™ CTec2 (Novozymes A/S), CELLIC™ CTec3 (Novozymes A/S), CELLUCLAST™ (Novozymes A/S), NOVOZYM™ 188 (Novozymes NS), CELLUZYME™ (Novozymes A/S), CEREFLO™ (Novozymes A/S), and ULTRAFLO™ (Novozymes A/S), ACCELERASE™ (DuPont), ACCELERASE™ 1000; ACCELERASE™ 1500; ACCELERASE™ TRIO; ACCELERASE™ DUET (DuPont); LAMINEX™ (Genencor Int.), SPEZYME™ CP (Genencor Int.), ROHAMENT™ 7069 W (Rohm GmbH), FIBREZYME® LDI (Dyadic International, Inc.), FIBREZYME® LBR (Dyadic International, Inc.), or VISCOSTAR® 150L (Dyadic International, Inc.). A commercial cellulolytic enzyme composition may be added in an amount of about 0.001 to about 5.0 wt % of solids, more preferably from about 0.025 to about 4.0 wt % of solids, and most preferably from about 0.005 to about 2.0 wt % of dry solids (DS).

Catalases

The catalase may be any catalase useful in the processes of the present invention. The catalase may include, but is not limited to, an E.C. 1.11.1.6 or E.C. 1.11.1.21 catalase.

Examples of useful catalases include, but are not limited to, catalases from Alcaligenes aquamarinus (WO 98/00526), Aspergillus lentilus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger (U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,901), Aspergillus oryzae (JP 2002223772A; U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,721), Bacillus thermoglucosidasius (JP 1 1243961A), Humicola insolens (WO 2009/104622, WO 2012/130120), Malbranchea cinnamomea, Microscilla furvescens (WO 98/00526), Neurospora crassa, Penicillium emersonii (WO 2012/130120), Penicillium pinophilum, Rhizomucor pusillus, Saccharomyces pastorianus (WO 2007/105350), Scytalidium thermophilum, Talaromyces stipitatus (WO 2012/130120), Thermoascus aurantiacus (WO 2012/130120), Thermus brockianus (WO 2005/044994), and Thielavia terrestris (WO 2010/074972).

Non-limiting examples of catalases useful in the present invention are catalases from Bacillus pseudofirmus (UNIPROT:P30266), Bacillus subtilis (UNIPROT: P42234), Humicola grisea (GeneSeqP: AXQ55105), Neosartorya fischeri (UNIPROT:A1DJU9), Penicillium emersonii (GeneSeqP:BAC10987), Penicillium pinophilum (GeneSeqP:BAC10995), Scytalidium thermophilum (GeneSeqP:AAW06109 or ADT89624), Talaromyces stipitatus (GeneSeqP:BAC10983 or BAC11039; UNIPROT:B8MT74), and Thermoascus aurantiacus (GeneSeqP:BAC11005). The accession numbers are incorporated herein in their entirety.

In one aspect, the catalase has a sequence identity to the mature polypeptide of any of the catalases disclosed herein of at least 60%, e.g., at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100%, which have catalase activity.

In another aspect, the amino acid sequence of the catalase differs by up to 10 amino acids, e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 from the mature polypeptide of any of the catalases disclosed herein.

In another aspect, the catalase comprises or consists of the amino acid sequence of any of the catalases disclosed herein.

In another aspect, the catalase comprises or consists of the mature polypeptide of any of the catalases disclosed herein.

In another embodiment, the catalase is an allelic variant of a catalase disclosed herein.

In another aspect, the catalase is a fragment containing at least 85% of the amino acid residues, e.g., at least 90% of the amino acid residues or at least 95% of the amino acid residues of the mature polypeptide of a catalase disclosed herein.

In another aspect, the catalase is encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under very low, low, medium, medium-high, high, or very high stringency conditions with the mature polypeptide coding sequence or the full-length complement thereof of any of the catalases disclosed herein (Sambrook et al., 1989, supra).

The polynucleotide encoding a catalase, or a subsequence thereof, as well as the polypeptide of a catalase, or a fragment thereof, may be used to design nucleic acid probes to identify and clone DNA encoding a catalase from strains of different genera or species according to methods well known in the art. In particular, such probes can be used for hybridization with the genomic DNA or cDNA of a cell of interest, as described supra.

For purposes of the present invention, hybridization indicates that the polynucleotide hybridizes to a labeled nucleic acid probe under very low to very high stringency conditions. Molecules to which the nucleic acid probe hybridizes under these conditions can be detected using, for example, X-ray film or any other detection means known in the art.

In one aspect, the nucleic acid probe is the mature polypeptide coding sequence of a catalase.

In another aspect, the nucleic acid probe is a polynucleotide that encodes a full-length catalase; the mature polypeptide thereof; or a fragment thereof.

In another aspect, the catalase is encoded by a polynucleotide having a sequence identity to the mature polypeptide coding sequence of any of the catalases disclosed herein of at least 60%, e.g., at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 81%, at least 82%, at least 83%, at least 84%, at least 85%, at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or 100%.

The catalase may be a hybrid polypeptide in which a region of one polypeptide is fused at the N-terminus or the C-terminus of a region of another polypeptide or a fusion polypeptide or cleavable fusion polypeptide in which another polypeptide is fused at the N-terminus or the C-terminus of the catalase, as described herein.

The protein content of the catalase is in the range of about 0.5% to about 10%, e.g., about 0.5% to about 7%, about 0.5% to about 5%, about 0.5% to about 4%, about 0.5% to about 3%, about 0.5% to about 2%, and about 0.5% to about 1% of total enzyme protein in the saccharification reaction. In an embodiment, the protein ratio of catalase to cellulolytic enzyme composition is in the range of about 1:200 to about 1:10, e.g., about 1:100 to about 1:15 or about 1:50 to about 1:25.

Other Enzymes and Polypeptides Present or Added During Saccharification

Other enzymes and/or polypeptides may be present or added during saccharification. The additional enzymes and/or polypeptide may be added separately or together with the cellulolytic composition and/or GH61 polypeptide.

In an embodiment the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises or further comprises one or more (several) enzymes and/or polypeptides selected from the group consisting of: hemicellulases, expansins, esterases, laccases, ligninolytic enzymes, pectinases, peroxidases, proteases, and swollenins.

In an embodiment the hemicellulase is a xylanase (e.g., an Aspergillus aculeatus xylanase), an acetyxylan esterase, a feruloyl esterase, an arabinofuranosidase, a xylosidase, and a glucuronidase. In a preferred embodiment the hemicellulase is a xylanase and/or a beta-xylosidase.

In an embodiment the xylanase is a GH10 xylanase. In an embodiment the xylanase is derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the one disclosed as Xyl III in WO 2006/078256 or SEQ ID NO: 9 herein, or Aspergillus aculeatus, such as the one disclosed in WO 94/21785, e.g., as Xyl II or SEQ ID NO: 8 herein.

In an embodiment the beta-xylosidase is derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the one disclosed in Examples 16-17 as SEQ ID NO: 16 in WO 2013/028928 (hereby incorporated by reference) or SEQ ID NO: 11 herein, or derived from a strain of Trichoderma, such as a strain of Trichoderma reesei, such as the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 58 in WO 2011/057140 or SEQ ID NO: 12 herein.

Materials & Methods

Materials:

-   CELLUCLAST™ 1.5L: Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme composition     available from Novozymes A/S. -   GH61 Polypeptide A: Thermoascus aurantiacus GH61A polypeptide is     disclosed in WO 2005/074656 as SEQ ID NO: 2 and is SEQ ID NO: 1     herein. -   GH61 Polypeptide B: Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61 polypeptide is     disclosed in WO 2011/041397 as SEQ ID NO: 2 and is SEQ ID NO: 2     herein. -   Aspergillus aculeatus beta-glucosidase: obtained according to     Kawaguchi et al., 1996, Gene 173: 287-288. -   Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (SEQ ID NO: 5 herein) variant     is disclosed in WO 2012/044915 with the following substitutions:     F100D, S283G, N456E, F512Y (using SEQ ID NO: 5 for numbering). -   Aspergillus fumigatus Cel7A cellobiohydrolase I is disclosed in WO     2011/057140 and is SEQ ID NO: 6 herein. -   Aspergillus fumigatus cellobiohydrolase II is disclosed in WO     2011/057140 and is SEQ ID NO: 7 herein. -   Aspergillus fumigatus GH10 xylanase is disclosed in WO 2006/078256     and is SEQ ID NO: 9 herein. -   Aspergillus aculeatus xylanase: GH10 xylanase disclosed in WO     94/21785 as Xyl II (available from Novozymes A/S) and disclosed as     SEQ ID NO: 8 herein. -   Aspergillus fumigatus beta-xylosidase is disclosed in WO 2011/057140     and is SEQ ID NO: 11 herein. -   Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A: Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprising an Aspergillus fumigatus Cel7A     cellobiohydrolase I (WO 2011/057140), an Aspergillus fumigatus     cellobiohydrolase II (WO 2011/057140), an Aspergillus fumigatus     beta-glucosidase variant disclosed in WO 2012/044915 with the     following substitutions F100D, S283G, N456E, and F512Y, a     Penicillium sp. (emersonii) GH61 polypeptide (WO 2011/041397), an     Aspergillus fumigatus GH10 xylanase (WO 2006/078256), and an     Aspergillus fumigatus beta-xylosidase (WO 2011/057140). -   Pretreated Corn Stover (PCS) was supplied by the National Renewable     Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo.

The present invention is further described by the following examples that should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Effect of Oxygen During Saccharification with/without GH61 Polypeptide a from Thermoascus aurantiacus

In order to investigate the effect of dissolved oxygen (DO) on the yield of dissolved carbohydrates (mainly glucose) when saccharifying a cellulosic material with a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a GH61 (family) polypeptide, the following procedure was used.

Procedure:

Batches of a pretreated cellulosic material were saccharified with a cellulolytic enzyme composition with and without GH61 polypeptide in closed laboratory scale reactors with continuous agitation, where temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) saturation are controlled. The filling volume of the reactors was 1500 grams of cellulolic material slurry, and the headspace volume was approximately 1 L. By measuring the final concentration of dissolved carbohydrates for reactors run with different DO concentrations, the effect of DO on the yield can be determined for a cellulolytic enzyme composition with and without a GH61 polypeptide, respectively. Saccharification was run for five days, the temperature was maintained at 50° C., and the pH was 5.0 for all reactors. The targeted levels of DO were set to values in the range between 0% and 3% of the saturation level. DO was maintained by having a controlled flow of nitrogen and air through the reactor headspace, and good oxygen diffusion between the headspace and the cellulosic material. Suitable flow rates for air and nitrogen were in the range 1-100 ml/minute. Good oxygen diffusion was ensured by running the agitator at high speed (e.g., 175 rpm). The nitrogen flow was set manually to a constant value, and the air flow was regulated automatically on the basis of feedback from a DO sensor (InPro 6800 from Ingold).

Experiment:

The cellulosic material used was corn stover pretreated by steam explosion in the presence of dilute sulfuric acid. The pretreated cellulosic material was supplied by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo. Total solid content was 20% and the sulfuric acid concentration was approximately 0.8%. The cellulosic material was heated to 180° C. for approximately 5 minutes before being discharged and steam exploded. The pH of the pretreated substrate was adjusted to 5.0 with sodium hydroxide before enzymes were added.

The cellulolytic enzyme composition without GH61 polypeptide consisted of 90% enzyme protein (EP) from CELLUCLAST™ 1.5L (Novozymes A/S), 5% EP from an Aspergillus aculeatus beta-glucosidase, and 5% EP from Aspergillus acuteatus xylanase. A dose of 10 mg EP per gram of cellulose was applied.

The cellulolytic enzyme composition with GH61 polypeptide consisted of 85% EP from CELLUCLAST™ 1.5L, 5% EP of an Aspergillus aculeatus beta-glucosidase, 5% EP of an Aspergillus aculeatus xylanase, and 5% EP of a Thermoascus aurantiacus GH61A polypeptide (GH61 polypeptide A). A dose of 7 mg EP per gram of cellulose was applied.

Final dissolved carbohydrate concentrations were measured by HPLC using an Aminex® HPX-87H column according to the procedure described in NREL/TP-510-42623, January 2008. Samples for HPLC were prepared by centrifuging about 10 g of slurry, transferring 300 microliters of the supernatant to a tube with 10 microliters of 40% sulfuric acid and 2.09 ml de-ionized water (8× dilution), and filtering through a 0.2 μm syringe filter (Whatman GD/X PTFE, 25 mm diameter).

Results:

The results of the experiment are shown in FIG. 1. For the cellulolytic enzyme composition without GH61 polypeptide, the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration had little or no effect on the final dissolved carbohydrate concentration. For the cellulolytic enzyme composition with GH61 polypeptide, the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration had a strong effect on the carbohydrate yield, with an optimum concentration in the range of 1-2% of the saturation level and a steep decline below the optimum.

Example 2 Effect of Oxygen Concentration on GH61 Polypeptide B from Penicillium sp. (emersonii) during Saccharification

The experiment described in Example 1 was repeated with Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A in place of the cellulolytic enzyme composition described in Example 1. Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A was applied at a dose of 5 mg EP per gram of cellulose.

Results:

The results shown in FIG. 2 demonstrate that dissolved oxygen (DO) had a strong effect on the carbohydrate yield, and the trend was similar to what was observed for the cellulolytic enzyme composition with GH61 polypeptide described in Example 1.

Example 3 Effect of Dissolved Oxygen and Catalase on the Consumption of Titrant

In order to investigate the influence of dissolved oxygen and catalase addition on sugar yield and consumption of base titrant, the following experiment was conducted.

The reactor vessels were IKA LR-2.ST reactor systems with anchor stirrers. The vessels were each fitted with one Mettler Toledo InPro 4260 pH and temperature sensor, and one Mettler Toledo InPro 6800 dissolved oxygen and temperature sensor. The sensors were connected to a Mettler Toledo M300 transmitter. The sensor signals were transmitted to a PC. pH was controlled automatically by dosing a 25% (w/w) solution of sodium hydroxide by a peristaltic pump controlled by the PC. Air and nitrogen were introduced to the headspace of the reactors at a rate between 0 and 100 ml/min. The gas flows were regulated by gas mass flow controllers from Cole-Parmer (model#32907-59). The flow of nitrogen was controlled manually, and the flow of air was controlled automatically by the PC on the basis of the dissolved oxygen sensor signal. The following three reactors were run:

(1) Reactor 1. Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A only with nitrogen blanketing to purge oxygen from the reactor.

(2) Reactor 2. Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A only with dissolved oxygen (DO) adjustment set to 2% saturation.

(3) Reactor 3. Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A and catalase with DO adjustment set to 2% saturation.

For each of the reactors above, the substrate was steam exploded wheat straw with a dry matter content of 20%. The temperature was set to 50-51° C. with an agitator speed at 75 rpm.

A total of 830 g liquor and 394 ml water were loaded into each reactor. The pH of the liquids was adjusted to 5.2-5.3 with 25% NaOH. The solids were added through a funnel in the top of the reactor under agitation. The pH was maintained at 5.0 for the remainder of the reaction.

The enzyme dose for reactor 1 and reactor 2 was Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A at 9 mg enzyme protein per g cellulose. The enzyme dose for reactor 3 was Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A at 8.78 mg enzyme protein per g cellulose plus 0.217 mg/g catalase.

The nitrogen flow was 100 ml/minute initially for all reactors until the dissolved oxygen concentration was below 10% of the saturation level. A nitrogen flow of 10 ml/minute to the headspace was maintained during the trial, in order to protect against exceeding the DO concentration. The dissolved oxygen concentration for reactors 2 and 3 was maintained at 2% of the saturation level for the remainder of the reaction.

Preparation of samples for HPLC: Slurry samples were removed from each of the reactor vessels at 3 and 5 days with a serological pipette and transferred to 15 ml plastic tubes. The samples were centrifuged for 20 minutes at 4000 rpm in a benchtop centrifuge to separate liquids and solids. A total of 300 microliters of supernatant from each sample was diluted with 2.09 ml of DI water and 6 microliters of 40% H₂SO₄ (8× dilution). The diluted samples were filtered through 0.45 μm PES syringe filters.

The sugar concentrations of the samples were measured using a 300×7.7 mm HyperREZ XP Carbohydrate H⁺ 8 μm column equipped with a 0.2 μm inline filter, in place of a guard column, by elution with 5 mM H₂SO₄ as mobile phase at 65° C. at a flow rate of 0.9 ml per minute, and quantitation by integration of the glucose signal from refractive index detection at 50° C. (AGILENT® 1200 HPLC, Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif., USA) calibrated by sugar standards. The injection volume was 10 microliters and the run time was 18 minutes.

The sugar standard was prepared by adding 8.0000 g of cellobiose, 15.0000 g of glucose, 15.0000 g of xylose, 8.0000 g of arabinose, 8.0000 g of xylitol, 8.0000 g of glycerol. 12.0000 g of sodium acetate, and 15.0000 g of ethanol to a 200 mL class A volumetric flask with 5 mM H₂SO₄ to make a stock solution (SS). The following dilutions were made in 5 mM H₂SO₄ from the stock solution (SS):

-   -   Standard 5=SS     -   Standard 4=SS diluted 2×     -   Standard 3=SS diluted 4×     -   Standard 2=SS diluted 20×     -   Standard 1=SS diluted 50×     -   Check Standard=SS diluted 10×

The results are provided in the following tables:

Amount Glucose Produced (g/) Reactor 1 Reactor 2 Reactor 3 3 days 5 days 3 days 5 days 3 days 5 days 45.2 49.5 61.4 63.3 60.2 67.8

Amount Xylose Produced (g/) Reactor 1 Reactor 2 Reactor 3 3 days 5 days 3 days 5 days 3 days 5 days 23.3 23.6 24.9 25.1 24.9 26.3

The table below shows the amount of base consumed during saccharification to maintain a pH of 5.2 during the reaction.

Reactor NaOH (25%, ml) 4: Nitrogen 4.9 5: 2% DO 9.6 6: catalase + 2% DO 5.7

The results show that a low level of dissolved oxygen (2% of the saturation level) was advantageous for the saccharification process, as compared to anoxic conditions, but that it led to a higher consumption (almost doubling) of base titrant required for maintaining the pH value at the set-point of 5 during the hydrolysis. The data also demonstrates that the addition of catalase together with 2% dissolved oxygen saturation significantly reduced the increase in consumption of titrant and substantially improved the yield of both xylose and glucose after 5 days of incubation.

Example 4 Effect of Aeration for a Portion of Hydrolysis

This experiment was carried out to determine whether or not aeration is needed for the entire hydrolysis of wheat straw.

Wheat straw was pretreated by cooking in a two-stage process. In the first stage cook, the temperature was maintained at 158° C. for 65 minutes, and the liquid was squeezed from the material after the first stage cook. In the second stage cook, the squeezed material (dry solids) was subjected to a temperature of 195° C. for 4 minutes. The liquid that was squeezed out after the first cook and the solids from the second cook were combined to form pretreated wheat straw.

Batches of the pretreated wheat straw were hydrolyzed with Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A in closed laboratory scale reactors with continuous agitation, where temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) saturation were controlled. The reactor type was Labfors-5 with 2 L working volume, fitted with helix impellers. The vessels were each fitted with one Mettler Toledo 405-DPAS-SC-K8S pH sensor and one Mettler Toledo InPro 6820 dissolved oxygen sensor. Flow of air and helium directly into the hydrolysate was controlled by on/off-valves for the respective gasses and rotameters incorporated in the control unit, all supplied by Infors. The flow rates of the gasses were controlled by the rotameters to 0.4 L/min when the gas flow was switched on. The pH titrant was 1 M KOH.

The procedure for loading the pretreated wheat straw into the reactors was as follows. The pretreated wheat straw and water were loaded into the reactor. All of the oxygen was removed from the slurry by flushing with helium. The slurry was heated to 50° C., and the pH was adjusted to 5.3 by manually controlling the titrant feeding pump. More water was added to reach a final consistency of 17% total solids. The filling volume of the reactors was 1200 grams of slurry. The enzyme preparation was added to the slurry in the reactor. The helium flow was continued until the pretreated wheat straw was liquefied. Then, the DO control was switched over to the procedure described below for the given reactor.

Saccharification was conducted for five days. The temperature was maintained at 50° C., and the pH was maintained at 5.3. The agitator speed was set to 50 RPM. Cellulolytic Enzyme Composition A was added at a dose of 10 mg EP per gram. Oxygen was introduced into the reactor at a level of 2% of the saturation level according to the DO control scheme below. For the part of hydrolysis in which the oxygen was not introduced, a controlled flow of helium was added to the reactors.

-   -   Reactor A: DO was introduced at 2% of the saturation level for         24 hours, then helium for the remainder of the saccharification.     -   Reactor B: helium for 18 hours, then DO was introduced at 2% of         the saturation level for 24 hours, then helium again for the         remainder of the saccharification.     -   Reactor C: helium for 44 hours, then DO was introduced at 2% of         the saturation level for the remainder of the saccharification.     -   Reactor D: Reference experiment. DO was introduced at 2% of the         saturation level for the entire saccharification.

Samples of the whole slurry were taken after 2.5, 18.5, 24, 43.8, 48, 94, and 114.8 hours of hydrolysis. Weight/weight dilutions of the samples were made by thoroughly mixing 2 g of slurry with 8 g of purified water. A small aliquot was taken from this dilution, transferred to an Eppendorf tube, and separated by centrifugation at 14000 RPM in an Eppendorf 5417C centrifuge. The supernatant was filtered through a 0.22 μm filter and transferred to an HPLC vial and analyzed for glucose and xylose on an Aminex® HPX-87H column according to the procedure described in NREL/TP-510-42623, January 2008.

The measured glucose concentrations are shown in the table below.

Amount Glucose Produced (g/l) Hours Reactor A Reactor B Reactor C Reactor D 2.5 13.3 13.5 13.3 13.5 18.5 33.7 26.7 26.6 33.8 24.0 38.5 34.0 29.6 39.1 43.8 43.6 48.7 35.2 51.6 48.0 45.1 49.8 40.0 54.8 94.0 51.7 55.8 63.8 63.8 114.8 53.6 58.0 66.6 65.5

The late start of oxygen addition (helium for 44 hours, then DO) did not show an adverse effect on the final glucose concentration. The addition of oxygen for a short period, either during the first 24 hours or between 18-44 hours, resulted in a reduced final glucose concentration. Hence, it is important to aerate during late stage hydrolysis, but aeration early in the hydrolysis process is not always necessary.

The invention described and claimed herein is not to be limited in scope by the specific aspects herein disclosed, since these aspects are intended as illustrations of several aspects of the invention. Any equivalent aspects are intended to be within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. In the case of conflict, the present disclosure including definitions will control.

The present invention is further described in the following numbered paragraphs:

-   1. A method of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising     subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme     composition and a GH61 polypeptide in a vessel, wherein oxygen is     added to the vessel to maintain a concentration of dissolved oxygen     in the range of 0.5 to 10% of the saturation level. -   2. A method of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising     subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme     composition, a GH61 polypeptide and a catalase in a vessel, wherein     oxygen is added to the vessel to maintain a concentration of     dissolved oxygen in the range of 0.5 to 10% of the saturation level. -   3. A method of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising     subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme     composition and a GH61 polypeptide in a vessel, wherein oxygen is     added to the vessel to maintain a concentration of dissolved oxygen     in the range of 0.025 ppm to 0.55 ppm, such as, e.g., 0.05 to 0.165     ppm. -   4. A method of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising     subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme     composition, a GH61 polypeptide and a catalase in a vessel, wherein     oxygen is added to the vessel to maintain a concentration of     dissolved oxygen in the range of 0.025 ppm to 0.55 ppm, such as,     e.g., 0.05 to 0.165 ppm. -   5. The method of any of paragraphs 1-4, wherein the amount of     catalase is in the range of 0.5% to 25%, e.g., 0.5% to 20%, 0.5% to     15%, 0.5% to 10%, 0.5% to 7.5%, 0.5% to 5%, and 0.5% to 4% of total     protein. -   6. The method of any of paragraphs 1-5, wherein the dissolved oxygen     concentration during saccharification is in the range of 0.5-10% of     the saturation level, such as 0.5-7%, such as 0.5-5%, such as     0.5-4%, such as 0.5-3%, such as 0.5-2%, such as 1-5%, such as 1-4%,     such as 1-3%, such as 1-2%. -   7. The method of any of paragraphs 1-6, wherein the dissolved oxygen     concentration is maintained in the range of 0.5-10% of the     saturation level, such as 0.5-7%, such as 0.5-5%, such as 0.5-4%,     such as 0.5-3%, such as 0.5-2%, such as 1-5%, such as 1-4%, such as     1-3%, such as 1-2% during at least 25%, such as at least 50% or at     least 75% of the saccharification period. -   8. The method of any of paragraphs 1-7, wherein the cellulosic     material is selected from the group consisting of herbaceous     material (including energy crops), agricultural residue, wood     (including forestry residue), municipal solid waste, waste paper,     pulp, and paper mill residue. -   9. The method of any of paragraphs 1-8, wherein the cellulosic     material is selected from the group consisting of corn stover, wheat     straw, bagasse, corn cob, switchgrass, corn fiber, rice straw,     miscanthus, arundo, bamboo, orange peel, poplar, pine, aspen, fir,     spuce, willow, and eucalyptus. -   10. The method of any of paragraphs 1-9, wherein the cellulosic     material is pretreated, e.g., by chemical and/or physical     pretreatment, such as dilute acid and/or steam explosion     pretreatment. -   11. The method of any of paragraphs 1-10, wherein the cellulosic     material is pretreated corn stover (PCS), such as dilute acid     pretreated corn stover. -   12. The method of any of paragraphs 1-11, wherein the cellulosic     material is unwashed, such as unwashed pretreated corn stover     (uwPCS). -   13. The method of any of paragraphs 1-12, wherein the     saccharification occurs for up to 200 hours, e.g., about 12 to about     96 hours, about 16 to about 72 hours, or about 24 to about 48 hours,     such as for at least 12 hours, e.g., at least 24 hours, 36 hours, 48     hours, 60 hours, or 72 hours. -   14. The method of any of paragraphs 1-13, wherein the addition of     oxygen to the vessel begins after 24-48 hours of saccharification     and continues until the end of saccharification. -   15. The method of any of paragraphs 1-13, wherein the addition of     oxygen occurs throughout the saccharification. -   16. The method any of paragraphs 1-15, wherein the saccharification     is performed at a temperature in the range of about 25° C. to about     75° C., e.g., about 30° C. to about 70° C., about 35° C. to about     65° C., about 40° C. to 60° C., about 45° C. to 55° C., or about 50°     C. -   17. The method of any of paragraphs 1-16, wherein the     saccharification is performed at a pH in the range of about 3.0 to     about 7.0, e.g., 3.5 to 6.5, 4.0 to 6.0, 4.5 to 5.5 or about 5.0. -   18. The method of paragraph 17, further comprising adding a base to     maintain the pH in the range of about 3.0 to about 7.0, e.g., 3.5 to     6.5, 4.0 to 6.0, 4.5 to 5.5 or about 5.0 during the     saccharification. -   19. The method of paragraph 18, wherein the base is selected from     the group consisting of KOH, NaOH, Ca(OH)₂, and NH₄OH. -   20. The method of paragraph 18 or 19, wherein the base is added in     an amount of 25-2,500 mmol base per kg dry cellulosic material, such     as 25-1000 mmol/kg, 25-500 mmol/kg, 25-250 mmol/kg, 50-200 mmol/kg. -   21. The method of any of paragraphs 1-20, wherein the dry solids     content during saccharification (e.g., total solids in the     cellulosic material) is less than about 30 wt. %, 25 wt. %, 20 wt.     %, 15 wt. %, 10 wt. %, 7.5 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 2.5 wt. %, 2 wt. %, 1 wt.     %, or 0.5 wt. %, such as between 5 and 30 wt. % or between 10 and 25     wt. %. -   22. The method of any of paragraphs 1-21, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is of eukaryotic origin, such as fungal origin,     e.g., filamentous origin. -   23. The method of any of paragraphs 1-22, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is derived from Trichoderma (e.g., Trichoderma     reesei). -   24. The method of any of paragraphs 1-23, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises at least a cellobiohydrolase, an     endoglucanase, and a beta-glucosidase. -   25. The method of any of paragraphs 1-24, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I, a     cellobiohydrolase II, an endoglucanase, and a beta-glucosidase. -   26. The method of any of paragraphs 1-24, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase, an endoglucanase,     a beta-glucosidase, and a xylanase. -   27. The method of any of paragraphs 1-24, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I, a     cellobiohydrolase II, an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, and a     xylanase. -   28. The method of any of paragraphs 1-24, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I, a     cellobiohydrolase II, an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, a     xylanase, and a beta-xylosidase. -   29. The method of any of paragraphs 24-28, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition further comprises one or more proteins selected     from the group consisting of an acetylmannan esterase, an     acetylxylan esterase, an arabinanase, an arabinofuranosidase, a CIP,     a coumaric acid esterase, an esterase, an expansin, a feruloyl     esterase, a galactosidase, a glucuronidase, a glucuronoyl esterase,     a laccase, a ligninolytic enzyme, a mannanase, a mannosidase, a     pectinase, a peroxidase, a protease, and a swollenin. -   30. The method of any of paragraphs 1-29, wherein the GH61     polypeptide is derived from Thermoascus, such as a strain of     Thermoascus aurantiacus, such as the one described in WO 2005/074656     as SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 1 herein; or derived from Thielavia,     such as a strain of Thielavia terrestris, such as the one described     in WO 2005/074647 as SEQ ID NO: 7 and SEQ ID NO: 8 or SEQ ID NO: 4     herein; or derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of     Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the one described in WO 2010/138754     as SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 3 herein; or a strain     of Penicillium, such as a strain of Penicillium emersonii, such as     the one disclosed in WO 2011/041397 or SEQ ID NO: 2 herein. -   31. The method of any of paragraphs 1-30, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase, preferably one     derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as Aspergillus oryzae,     such as the one disclosed in WO 02/095014 or the fusion protein     having beta-glucosidase activity disclosed in WO 2008/057637, or     Aspergillus fumigatus, such as one disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO     2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein, or an Aspergillus fumigatus     beta-glucosidase variant disclosed in WO 2012/044915; or a strain of     Penicillium, such as a strain of Penicillium brasilianum disclosed     as SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2007/019442, or a strain of Trichoderma, such     as a strain of Trichoderma reesei. -   32. The method of any of paragraphs 1-31, wherein the cellulosic     enzyme composition comprises a xylanase, preferably a GH10 xylanase,     such as one derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain     of Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the one disclosed as Xyl III in WO     2006/078256 or SEQ ID NO: 9 herein, or Aspergillus aculeatus, such     as the one disclosed in WO 94/21785 as Xyl II or SEQ ID NO: 8     herein. -   33. The method of any of paragraphs 1-32, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a beta-xylosidase, such as one derived     from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of Aspergillus     fumigatus, such as the one disclosed in co-pending international     application no. PCT/US2012/052163 or SEQ ID NO: 11 herein, or     derived from a strain of Trichoderma, such as a strain of     Trichoderma reesei, such as the mature polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 58     in WO 2011/057140 or SEQ ID NO: 12 herein. -   34. The method of any of paragraphs 1-33, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I), such as     one derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of     Aspergillus fumigatus, such as the Cel7a CBHI disclosed in SEQ ID     NO: 6 in WO 2011/057140 or SEQ ID NO: 6 herein, or a strain of     Trichoderma, such as a strain of Trichoderma reesei. -   35. The method of any of paragraphs 1-34, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase II (CBH II), such     as one derived from a strain of Aspergillus, such as a strain of     Aspergillus fumigatus disclosed in SEQ ID NO: 7 herein; or a strain     of Trichoderma, such as Trichoderma reesei, or a strain of     Thielavia, such as a strain of Thielavia terrestris, such as     cellobiohydrolase II CEL6A from Thielavia terrestris. -   36. The method of any of paragraphs 1-35, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a Trichoderma reesei cellulase     composition and Thermoascus aurantiacus GH61A polypeptide (SEQ ID     NO: 2 in WO 2005/074656 or SEQ ID NO: 1 herein). -   37. The method of any of paragraphs 1-36, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase, such as an     Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase fusion protein (WO 2008/057637). -   38. The method of any of paragraphs 1-37, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme     composition comprising a Penicillium emersonii GH61A polypeptide     disclosed in WO 2011/041397 or SEQ ID NO: 2 herein. -   39. The method of any of paragraphs 1-38, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition comprises a beta-glucosidase, such as an     Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (SEQ ID NO: 2 of WO     2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein), or a variant thereof with the     following substitutions: F100D, S283G, N456E, F512Y (using SEQ ID     NO: 5 herein for numbering). -   40. The method of any of paragraphs 1-39, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme     composition comprising one or more of the following components:

(a) an Aspergillus fumigatus cellobiohydrolase I;

(b) an Aspergillus fumigatus cellobiohydrolase II;

(c) an Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase or variant thereof with one or more of the following substitutions: F100D, S283G, N456E, F512Y using SEQ ID NO: 5 herein for numbering; and

(d) a Penicillium sp. GH61 polypeptide; or homologs thereof.

-   41. The method of any of paragraphs 1-40, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme     composition, further comprising a Thermoascus aurantiacus GH61A     polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/074656 or SEQ     ID NO: 1 herein), an Aspergillus oryzae beta-glucosidase fusion     protein (WO 2008/057637), and an Aspergillus aculeatus xylanase (Xyl     II in WO 94/21785 or SEQ ID NO: 8 herein). -   42. The method of any of paragraphs 1-41, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme     composition, further comprising a Thermoascus aurantiacus GH61A     polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2005/074656 or SEQ ID NO: 1 herein),     an Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (SEQ ID NO: 2 of WO     2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein) and an Aspergillus aculeatus     xylanase (Xyl II disclosed in WO 94/21785 or SEQ ID NO: 8 herein). -   43. The method of any of paragraphs 1-42, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is a Trichoderma reesei cellulolytic enzyme     composition, further comprising a Penicillium emersonii GH61A     polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 2 in WO 2011/04139 or SEQ ID NO: 2 herein),     an Aspergillus fumigatus beta-glucosidase (disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 2     in WO 2005/047499 or SEQ ID NO: 5 herein), an Aspergillus fumigatus     xylanase (Xyl III disclosed in WO 2006/078256 or SEQ ID NO: 9     herein) and a beta-xylosidase derived from a strain of Aspergillus     fumigatus (SEQ ID NO: 11 herein). -   44. The method of any of paragraphs 1-43, wherein the cellulolytic     enzyme composition is added in an amount of about 0.01 to about 50.0     mg, e.g., about 1 to about 25 mg, such as about 2-10 mg, such as     about 4 to about 8 mg protein per g/DS of the cellulosic material. -   45. The method of any of paragraphs 1-44, further comprising     recovering the saccharified cellulosic material. -   46. The method of paragraph 45, wherein the saccharified cellulosic     material is a sugar. -   47. The method of paragraph 46, wherein the sugar is selected from     the group consisting of arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, and     xylose. -   48. The method of any of paragraphs 1-47, wherein the GH61     polypeptide constitutes from 0.1-15%, preferably 0.5-10%, and more     preferably 0.5-7% of the cellulolytic enzyme composition. -   49. The method of any of paragraphs 1-48, wherein the vessel     comprises more than 10 m³, such as more than 25 m³, such as more     than 50 m³ cellulosic material. -   50. A method of producing a fermentation product from cellulosic     material, comprising:

(a) saccharification of the cellulosic material in accordance with the method of any of paragraphs 1-49; and

(b) fermenting the saccharified cellulosic material with one or more fermenting microorganisms.

-   51. The method of paragraph 50, further comprising recovering the     fermentation product from (b). -   52. The method of paragraph 50 or 51, wherein the saccharification     and fermentation occur simultaneously or sequentially. -   53. The method of any of paragraphs 50-52, wherein the fermentation     occurs for about 8 to about 96 hours, such as about 24 to about 60     hours. -   54. The method of any of paragraphs 50-53, wherein the fermentation     is performed at a temperature between about 26° C. to about 60° C.,     in particular about 32° C. or 50° C. -   55. The method of any of paragraphs 50-54, wherein the fermentation     is performed at about pH 3 to about pH 8, such as around pH 4-5, 6,     or 7. -   56. The method of any of paragraphs 50-55, wherein the fermentation     product is an alcohol, an organic acid, a ketone, an amino acid, or     a gas. -   57. The method of paragraph 56, wherein the fermentation product is     ethanol. -   58. The method of any of paragraphs 50-57, wherein the fermenting     microorganism is a bacterial or fungal organism. -   59. The method of any of paragraphs 50-58, wherein the fermenting     organism is a hexose and/or pentose fermenting organism, or a     combination thereof. -   60. The method of any of paragraphs 50-59, wherein the fermenting     microorganism is a strain of the Saccharomyces spp., preferably     Saccharomyces cerevisiae. -   61. The method of any of paragraphs 50-60, wherein the fermenting     organism is a strain of Pichia, preferably Pichia stipitis, such as     Pichia stipitis CBS 5773; strain of Candida, preferably Candida     boidinii, Candida brassicae, Candida sheatae, Candida diddensii,     Candida pseudotropicalis, or Candida utilis. -   62. The method of any of paragraphs 50-61, wherein the fermenting     organism is a strain of Zymomonas, such as Zymomonas mobilis;     Hansenula, such as Hansenula anomala; Kluyveromyces, such as K.     marxianus, K. lactis, K. thermotolerans, and K. fragilis;     Schizosaccharomyces, such as S. pombe; E. coli, a strain of     Clostridium, such as Clostridium acetobutylicum, Chlostridium     thermocellum, and Chlostridium phytofermentans; a strain of     Geobacillus sp.; a strain of Thermoanaerobacter, such as     Thermoanaerobacter saccharolyticum; a strain of Bacillus, such as     Bacillus coagulans. -   63. The method of any of paragraphs 50-62, wherein the fermenting     microorganism has been genetically modified to provide the ability     to ferment pentose sugars, such as xylose utilizing, arabinose     utilizing, and xylose and arabinose co-utilizing microorganisms. -   64. The method of any of paragraphs 50-63, wherein the fermenting     microorganism is a strain of Saccharomyces spp., such as     Saccharomyces cerevisiae, capable of effectively co-fermenting     glucose and xylose. -   65. The method of any of paragraphs 50-64, wherein the fermenting     microorganism expresses xylose isomerase. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of saccharifying a cellulosic material comprising subjecting the cellulosic material to a cellulolytic enzyme composition and a G61 polypeptide in a vessel, wherein oxygen is added to the vessel to maintain a concentration of dissolved oxygen in the range of 0.5 to 10% of the saturation level.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material is further subjected to a catalase.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of catalase is in the range of 0.5% to 25% of total protein.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a base to maintain the pH in the range of about 3.0 to 7.0 during the saccharification.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting of KOH, NaOH, Ca(OH)₂, and NH₄OH.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase, an endoglucanase, and a beta-glucosidase.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, an endoglucanase, and a beta-glucosidase.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, and a xylanase.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellulolytic enzyme composition comprises a cellobiohydrolase I, a cellobiohydrolase II, an endoglucanase, a beta-glucosidase, a xylanase, and a beta-xylosidase.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the vessel comprises more than 10 m³.
 11. The method of claim 2, further comprising adding a base to maintain the pH in the range of about 3.0 to 7.0 during the saccharification. 